


The Angel Experiments

by DeathandDespairQueen



Category: Haikyuu!!, Maximum Ride - James Patterson
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Wings, Blind Character, Blind! Nishinoya Yuu, Buckle up, Inspired by Maximum Ride, Kidnapping, Multi, Out of Character, Science Fiction, Trans Character, if you havent read maximum ride then lol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-28
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-01-06 10:39:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 36,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12209571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeathandDespairQueen/pseuds/DeathandDespairQueen
Summary: Sugawara Koushi knows more than anyone what it's like to feel on top of the world. He and his family live in the secluded mountainsides of Japan. But they have a secret. And as long as they stay hidden, they stay alive.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I  
> LOVE  
> MAXIMUM RIDE  
> so so so so so so much. I really hope you guys like this AU as much as the original series because like from 7th grade until now Maximum Ride has personally owned my ass. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
> 
> hi also everyone is lgbtqa bc i said so?????

The funny thing about facing imminent death is that it really snaps everything else into perspective. 

_"Run! Come on, run! You know you can do it!"_

The briars shredded filthy skin to ribbons as he pushed through them, stumbling slightly as a sharpened stone jabbed into his bare foot. But he never stopped running. To stop running would mean being caught. Being caught would mean being torn to shreds on the spot. Or worse, it could mean being taken again. 

_"You're faster than them! You can outrun them! You can outrun anyone!"_

The trees were so restricting. The farther he ran the thicker they got and the harder it was to avoid the branches. A particularly thick one snapped back and caught him across the face. It's disorienting, but it does little to slow him down. A ghastly yowl tore through the air and his legs pumped even faster. Erasers were closing in on him. He could almost feel long, deadly claws raking through his ruined hospital gown and whittling flesh down to bone. But he knew that if he set his mind to it, he could still outrun them. They were all fast, even Shoyo, who's tiny stature often served as a misnomer for his true abilities. 

His eyes scanned anxiously for a break in the trees. If he could find a clearing or anything open enough for him to focus. Another wail filled the air. He couldn't run any faster than this. He  _needed_ to find that clearing! Dim light through the woods ahead of him and his heart swelled with hope. This had to be it. This had to be his saving grace.

He burst through the trees, chest heaving and eyes stinging from the sweat that dripped from his brow. "Shit!" His feet scrambled to a stop and his arms pinwheeled wildly to keep from teetering off the edge of the steep cliff ahead of him. This wasn't what he had prayed for. The drop was hundreds of feet, the floor below littered with jagged stones and broken tree limbs. Behind him, Erasers were closing in. They were so close he swore he could smell the heavy scent of wet fur and blood wafting off of them. 

He had two choices: Take the leap or face the crowd of hunters.

Both options sucked.

He looked back towards the forest, then back to the cliff. The first wave of Erasers had finally breached the trees and began closing in on him. In his mind, the choice was obvious. If any one of us were faced with this situations, we would have made the same one.

With arms extended and eyes squeezed shut, he let himself fall off the cliff's edge. The Erasers rushed forward in a futile attempt to grab their prey and haul it back to solid ground. Their clawed fists closed around air, gravity doing what gravity did best and pulling the boy closer and closer to rocky death with every second. 

Despite all this, he felt nothing but peace. He smiled.

And in an instant, large silvery white wings unfurled from his back. The sudden movement yanked his wings upwards, much like a parachute. He let out a yelp of pain, made a quick note to  ** _never_** do that again, and pushed his wings down hard. Then pulled up, and then pushed down again. Over and over until he was no longer plummeting, but instead

 _"I'm flying. Holy shit, I'm flying!"_ It was just like he had always dreamed. Air rushed in his ears and it stung his skin as he surged towards the top of the cliff and then past the top. High above snarling Erasers still screaming for his blood. He had made it. He wasn't going to die today.

Sugawara Koushi's eyes flew open and he jolted up gasping for breath. He placed a hand over his racing heart. He couldn't help but check himself for slashes and cuts. Nothing. God, he always hated that dream. 

The chilly mountain air filtered in through the open window and kept him from drifting back into slumber despite the fact that every other person in the house was still fast asleep. Might as well get a head start on the day. 

Their home was positioned on the edge of a cliff, much like the one from his dream but much bigger and steeper. It was a simple two story, shaped like an E turned on its side. The window in Koushi's room took up the entire outer wall and gave him the perfect view of the area surrounding their home.

Mt. Azumaya, while not the most secluded mountain, was the best possible place to set up camp. It also happened to supply them with one of the most beautiful views he had ever seen in his life. Up here, they were safe. Here it was just him and his family. 

No one hunting them down. No one to push them around or force them to partake in the grueling tests or experiments that haunted his dreams. The closest things to adults were him, Daichi, and Asahi, who were only 16. Probably. After nearly 7 years in seclusion they had lost track of important dates like holidays and birthdays. They had no bearing on the way they lived their lives and faded into the back of their minds.

With the absence of adults in their lives, Koushi had taken it upon himself to fill the roll of father figure with the younger children. Or at least, what he believed a father figure would behave like. When they had first arrived, a very kind man by the name of Takeda Ittetsu had cared for them before his disappearance nearly four years ago. Koushi knew he had died. They all did. It wasn't something they really talked about, though.

Koushi's first task of the day was making breakfast. Takeda had died before he could teach any of them the ins and outs of cooking. Much to his annoyance, both Daichi and Asahi had taken to it naturally. On the other hand.....

"Is something burning?" Koushi's knees buckled and his hand tightened on the spatula as he swiveled around, wielding the utensil like a weapon. Ryuunosuke rubbed the back of his head and yawned dramatically. He had clearly just woke up, still clad in boxers and a thin wife beater. He made his way to the table, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he flopped down into the creaky old chair that could honestly take that kind of rough treatment one or two more times. "Is that breakfast?"

Koushi scoffed and quickly dumped the charred remains of what had once been lunch meat into the sink. "Obviously not."

"Okay. I'll start setting the table." Ryuu was a real sweet kid, despite what his punk like appearance implied. As he retrieved the stack of plates from the upper cabinet a loud  _BANG!_ resonated from the staircase. "Who moved this?!" Yuu hollered. He slammed his hands onto the dresser he had accidentally rammed his foot into. 

"Shit, that was me. Sorry, Yuu. I forgot." Ryuu muttered. Koushi ran his fingers through the nest of dark hair on the shorter boys head as he passed him and settled down at the table. "You forgot that I'm  _blind?_ How'd you do that?" Koushi opened his mouth to retort that he never really acted blind when the back of his neck prickled with the telltale unease of being watched. He spun around only to find the space behind him empty. He jumped nearly a foot into the air at the sound of the fridge swinging open right behind him. 

"Will you quit that?!" Asahi tensed and slowly turned to face him with an apologetic look. "Sorry. I did it again?"

"We'll just have to put a bell on you, sneaky boy!" Yuu called from the couch. They knew he was only half joking. "What the hell is this in the sink?" Another voice chimed in. Daichi picked the burnt meat from the sink with his forefinger and thumb. "Ah, Daichi. Good morning to you too." The taller man reached out with his free hand and patted Koushi's slender shoulder reassuringly. "You'll get it next time. Asahi and I will get breakfast, you can go get the gremlins up." 

There were two major problems with the two youngest boys. The first being their affinity to spending the mornings holed up in their room sleeping until the early hours of the evening. The second was their age, which made them nearly impossibly to reason with when they were grumpy at him for awaking them. He pushed the door open and whispered "Hey guys. Rise and shine." 

A loud groan sounded from the bed pushed against the far wall. Two stony blue eyes peeked out from beneath the puffy duvet. "Tobio. Breakfast is in ten. Get up and face it." Koushi had to practically tear him from the comforts of his bed and help him to his dresser so he could begin the process of preparing for another day. "Shoyo? Are you up?"

A thin sheet that acted as a privacy screen slid back. Shoyo had always loved snug spaces, and his bed was often littered with books and dirty clothing. The tiny redhead smiled back at him. "Good morning Koushi. Will you help me with my shoes?" In spite of his age, he had never properly learned to tie his shoes. Koushi, personally, blamed himself. He was prone for babying the younger boys, especially Shoyo. He would never tell the others, but he loved Shoyo more than anyone else. Maybe it was because he had been helping take care of him since he was only four years old.

"Maybe because I'm like your little brother? Or your baby?" Koushi's eyes widened and he looked up from the shoe. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. Besides, I love you most, too." He threw his spindly arms around Koushi's neck and squeezed. Koushi hugged back with a chuckle. Much like their birthdays, things like Yuu's blindness had faded to the back of their minds. Such was the case with Shoyo and the other boys' special abilities.

Shoyo, of course, could read minds.  

Mount Azumaya had many beautiful natural features. Expansive forests, long trails to the top. In their little secluded chunk of paradise, there were no grocery stores. They had always relied on Takeda to bring fresh produce and other necessities up to their mountain home from....well that was the thing. They didn't really know where he had got them. They had the internet, but the signal was spotty and unreliable and really only used it when they needed to know how to dress a wound or which plants would kill them upon consumption. 

Asahi was a real miracle worker when it came to stretching their meager rations. They were probably down to their last few eggs and fresh pieces of meat but he still managed to make enough food to fill all seven of them. With their ravenous appetites, this was downright black magic on his part.

"I think I wanna pick strawberries today. They'll be ripe now." Shoyo said around a large mouthful of food.  "I'll go with you." Kageyama chimed in. Soon the others were agreeing. It seemed like a nice day, and they did need more food. Maybe they would happen across more vegetation or even a very slow hare. They finished their breakfast and gathered up buckets and baskets and set off.

Outside, it was beautiful. The sky was cloudless with the first real heat of May. Shoyo led them down through the forest and onto a lesser used hiking path. "If we have the ingredients to do it, you should make cakes. Then we could have strawberry shortcakes." Koushi smiled. "Anything for you, my little strawberry."

"Yeah, that'll be the day, when Koushi makes an edible cake. How about I make it for you, Sho." Daichi chimed in from the back of the pack. He didn't know why, but that rubbed him the wrong way and it rubbed him hard. He swiveled on his toes and hunched his shoulders defensively. "Look, I know I'm not the best cook but I can absolutely kick your muscley ass and don't forget it!" Daichi snorted and waved his hands in front of him in the universal sign of "it-for-sure-wasn't-me".  A few paces away Ryuu muffled a snort with his hand.

"Was that you?"

"Was that you?" His own voice nagged back at him from the other boy's mouth. Koushi let out a frustrated groan. How did he keep falling for this? He wrapped his arm around his neck and dealt him a very rough punishment noogie. "It was funny the first time, now it's just overkill!" They had lost count of how many times Asahi and Daichi had almost been met with the full fledged fury of Sugawara Koushi over the things Ryuu had said in their voices. They had lost count of how many near heart attacks he had caused by doing the same with the younger boys' voices or even fire alarms. 

They shared stories of the trouble their little quirks had caused over these past seven years and, if they remembered, beyond that as they picked as many strawberries as their hearts desired. Shoyo had been right, they were ripe. They were the perfect shade of red, most of them large and juicy. They tried not to think about how quickly these would rot now that they had been harvested. They tried to simply enjoy this moment. 

Koushi didn't know why his body shuddered with anxiety when he noticed that Shoyo had suddenly went silent from across the field. Then the young boy let out a horrid, fearful shriek. They were all on their feet and ready for action. A lanky man hovered over the small boy with a Cheshire grin plastered across his dark features. The sheer amount of product in his hair added to his height, which only made him more intimidating. Flanking him are several other men of varying heights and weights, all dressed in sharp black dress shirts and blood red ties. In the sky a helicopter closes in and even more are dropping down to join them.

Erasers. There were Erasers descending upon them and this time it wasn't a dream.

"Well hello again." Shoyo screamed once more and scrambled back towards his family, back towards safety. For the others, there is no time to think. They weren't trained to think. Just act. Koushi burst forward and drove his shoulder into the chest of the man in the middle. The force knocked him back, but there were at least two more to replace him. Two shorter men rushed him, countered by the wall of flesh that Daichi and Asahi created. Ryuu was holding his own against an Eraser that looked similar to him with a faux hawk instead of a buzz cut. Yuu had taken it upon himself to herd Tobio and Shoyo away from the action and back towards the forest. 

Koushi was about to yell at them to start running when a heavy fist snapped across his face, hitting so hard that he could taste a sudden burst of blood that filled his mouth. The tallest Eraser had begun extending his long feline claws and raked them across Asahi's chest, who fell back like a downed tree and collapsed in the soft grass. Daichi let out a cry as two more toppled him as well. Koushi leapt towards them only to be grabbed by the scruff of his neck by one and punched in the stomach by another. The blood that had gathered in his mouth after the first hit sprayed out. 

The sound of screams was faint in his disoriented mind, but it grounded him. "Let me go, let me go!" He kicked weakly, trying to get his bearings so he could grab his kids and get the Hell out of dodge before it was too late. His vision cleared to see Yuu being snatched up in a similar manner to the one he had been grabbed with and flung against a tree. He let out a loud yelp and crumpled to the ground. Tobio and Shoyo were alone and unprotected. Sure, they were capable of holding their own against most men. But these were no normal men. 

Tobio beat his fists against every part of the Eraser's he could hit. Arms, legs, stomach. Shoyo had rushed to Yuu's side and clearly panicking over the sheer amount of blood coming from the gash in his head. Just as Koushi managed to free himself from their grasp the tall man with crazy hair blocked him. Over his shoulder he could see the smallest of the Eraser's morphed into their full werecat like forms descend on his boys. Shoyo let out a shriek for help as they grabbed him and shoved him into a large burlap sack. "KOUSHI!!" 

Koushi surged left. The tall Eraser surged left. He moved right and the Eraser did the same. "In a hurry, Koushi? You look like shit." He gave the shorter boy a hard shove and planted his heavy boot on his chest. "You always acted so holier-than-thou. Sort of a weird justice, huh?"

"Do I....know you?" The boot lifted momentarily and slammed back down. Everything was so loud. The pounding in his head, the helicopter overhead, his family screaming all sorts of different screams. The tall man grabbed his jaw and hauled him so they were face to face. He could smell the stink of rotten fish on his breath. "You don't recognize me? I'm so insulted." He dropped him back down unceremoniously. His teeth clacked together and every last ache was starting to settle into his bones. In his daze state he remembered those glowing amber brown eyes and that Cheshire grin.

"Tetsuro."

"Shoyo!"

"KOUSHI!"

A hard kick directly to the temple knocked him out cold. 

Two firm hands touched him, one on his chest and one sliding underneath to his back. They helped him into a sitting position. "Koushi?" Ryuunosuke sounded much younger than 14. He sounded so small and so scared. Asahi's calloused fingers swept over his face and head. "You might have a concussion..." 

"I'm okay." He weakly batted away the worried hands. He scanned his surroundings and did a mental headcount. All six of them were bloodied and bruised-wait. He counted again. Six. Not seven. "Where's Shoyo?" The five of them refused to meet his gaze. Daichi, both hands still planted firmly on his torso, looked him dead in the eyes. He looked so apologetic. "He's gone. They got him."

Despite the horrible beating he had just received, Koushi was on his feet in no time. He remembered being maybe nine years old and looking out at the large fenced in courtyard that contained the Erasers. They were all fully morphed with large feline ears and paws with sharp claws and long fangs. They were fresh from the lab, and their creators had unleashed a horde of chimpanzees into the yard with them. He remembered watching these freshly made abominations tearing and ripping and most of all he remembered the screams.

_That was who had his baby._

He was still dizzy. Daichi leapt to his feet and let him lean against him to keep him from stumbling back to the ground. "We have to get him!" He turned his body and latched onto Daichi's broad shoulders, giving him a slight shake. "You idiot! Why wouldn't you follow them?!" He hated that he could feel tears stinging the cut on his cheek as they slipped from his eyes. He hated how weak and helpless he felt as his baby, his  _Shoyo_ was taken farther and farther away. "We have to get him. We have to get him before-" Images flashed through his mind. Images of Shoyo being hunted and chased and hurt and he felt like vomiting. 

Yuu and Ryuunosuke came up behind him. "We're up to it if you are, Kou." The silver haired boy turned to Asahi, who nodded. All that was left was Tobio. Young, 11 year old Tobio. Was he really that little? Was he really only a few months older than Shoyo? Stony blue eyes stared up at him. His fist clenched around a trampled strawberry plant, palm stained with sickly red juice and seeds. His face looked as if he had been tossed into a blender and set on "chop".

"Let's go get him back." Yuu backed away from the rest of the group. They all stood in complete silence as he trained his hyper sensitive hearing on whatever he could pick up on that would lead them to Shoyo. He cocked his head and gasped. "Up there! I can hear an engine!"

"Follow it! Don't let them out of your sight." With that final command Koushi backed out of the group as well, maybe about ten feet farther than Yuu. The other five cleared a path as he ran through them and jumped, powerful legs punching him high into the air where he unfurled a pair of large, silvery white wings. The road began to disappear as he rose into the air and zipped in the direction Yuu had pointed out.

The nightmare that had given him such a rude awakening that morning was actually quite hard to tell from the life he had lived for nearly nine years. The seven of them had been bred, born, and raised in the secretive laboratory nicknamed The Lab. It was filled with dangerous men and women, whitecoats. Takeda Ittetsu had been a whitecoat. Tetsuro had been Takeda's son.

According to official reports, they were only 98% human. The other 2% give or take was different strands of Avian. Takeda had seen the way this children were being treated and felt pity. In the dead of the night he had stolen them away and hid them in their cozy mountain house.

Koushi banked hard, feeling the strain of his wings in the wind as he closed in on a sleek black Humvee. Daichi and Ryuunosuke soon joined him, the former diving towards the thick forest and snatching a branch from a nearby tree. With amazing precision he hurled the branch down and through the windshield. The vehicle swerved, but stayed on course. The rear window rolled down and the barrel of a gun poked out. All around them trees began popping with bullets and the air filled with smoke and burnt metal. Daichi dropped onto the hood of the car and punched away the rest of the glass. Before he could do anymore damage the gun retracted and began firing out of the open front. Daichi surged upwards and took to the air once more, a bullet barely grazing his left cheek.

Tobio and Yuu flew on ahead of the car while Koushi descended on top of it. He banged his fists onto roof. "Shoyo! Shoyo, we're going to get you out!" He struggled to remain crouched on top of the vehicle as it sped along the mountain path. Tree limbs snapped at him as they passed. Daichi stayed flying alongside the car, swerving to avoid the trees. Through broken shouts Koushi managed to decipher an important order. "They'll move him to the helicopter! We can get him then!"

The remaining three members of the flock landed on the strip between the helicopter and the fast approaching Humvee. Asahi remained in the air, providing a much needed eye in the sky in case the copter took off before they could reach it. The car skidded to a slippery halt, throwing Koushi off with the motion. He countered by tucking his wings around him as he rolled and springing back up immediately when his feet touched the ground. The tall foreign looking Eraser leaned out of the helicopter and lobbed something about the size of an apple in their direction. Koushi knew right away what it was and launched himself upwards. Tobio grabbed Yuu and pulled him back only seconds too late. The two are thrown against the trees and from the looks of it Tobio is completely unconscious. They'll have to worry about him in a moment.

Tetsuro exited the Humvee as the blast cleared, the burlap sack in his arms as he charged to helicopter. Daichi used the Humvee's roof as a launchpad and flew towards the chopper. Ryuu dropped down and stood protectively over his fallen flock members. Tetsuro tossed the sack into the hull and hopped in after it, Daichi and Koushi reaching it just  a split second after take off. Koushi wasn't going to give up so easily.

He latched one hand onto the landing skid, keeping his grip as it lifted into the air. He struggled to pull his wings in, the strong downdraft nearly tearing them from his body as they lifted farther and farther into the air. Tetsuro pulled a small pistol from the holster fastened to his thigh and cocked it. "I have got to admire your determination, Koushi. I'll let you in on a little secret, old buddy old pal." He pressed the gun to his forehead and he shuddered at the feeling of cold metal against his skin. "You've got it all wrong. We're the good guys." Instead of shooting he pulled back and slammed the butt of the gun into his head. The shock was enough to knock him off balance, allowing Tetsuro to pry his hands lose and let him fall down towards the Earth just as a small head of tousled red hair managed to shake itself free of the sack.

Asahi swooped under him and caught him in midair, struggling to support both of their weights. The second they touched down Koushi's wings were back out and he rushed into another take off. Daichi tacked him before he could jump. "Let me go! Let me go I have to get him! I can't let him die!" Powerful arms wrapped around him and kept his wings pinned to his side. 

The flock never cried. Crying was a sign of weakness and at The Lab weakness was met with death. After seven years of freedom they had let things fade. Their fear of The Lab and its countless horrors never faded. And now, with Shoyo flying farther from their safe mountain home and closer and closer to his death, there was nothing Koushi could do but sob.

His baby was heading to a place of torture and death or even worse.

And, dear reader, trust me when I say this. In The Lab, there were fates far worse than death itself.  

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A portion of the Flock sets out to save their youngest member.  
> Koushi gets distracted  
> Daichi makes a decision  
> Asahi makes a mistake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> screams in french  
> now is a good time to tell yall that i dont know what im doing and this is bound to go from super good to a train wreck in like....half a chapter  
> lol

Koushi could barely remember the flight back to the house. Did they even fly? Or did they walk? Everything between watching his baby disappear over the horizon and pushing open their front door seemed blurred and out of focus, like a dream that faded the moment you woke up. His head felt heavy and hazy as he shuffled into the far too quiet house, past the breakfast table. They hadn't bothered to clean up before leaving. Despite the clutter his eyes were drawn to the spot Shoyo had sat in just an hour before. Had it really been that long? 

He barely even flinched when Yuu let out a howl and swept his arm across the table, sending dishes flying through the air. A mug sailed past his face and struck Daichi in the side of the head. "Would you watch it?!" He hissed before realizing that no, he couldn't watch it. Asahi and Ryuu gently deposited Tobio onto the couch, the older rushing off to retrieve the first aid kit. The youngest boy was out cold, burns and cuts from the explosion dusting his filthy skin. They honestly all looked like someone had pushed them into an industrial sized fan and let the blades do the rest.

"No,  _you_ watch it! What  _happened?!_ You guys can see, why couldn't we get him back?!" 

"They had a chopper, Yuu! A chopper and guns!" Ryuunosuke shot back. There are tears beading in his eyes. "We're not bulletproof, you know." Asahi reentered the room and set to work on patching up the flock. The action stirred Tobio from his involuntary slumber and the look of pure hurt and fear he shot towards Koushi made his heart crumble. It read  _How could you let this happen?_

He was asking himself the same question. He was supposed to be their leader, their protecter. He was supposed to be big, strong. Koushi the Invincible. But Ryuu had put it best. They were not bulletproof. "If they wanted to kill us, they could have! They wanted Shoyo alive and didn't care if we were or not! Don't you think that means we have the chance to go after them?!" Yuu snapped.

"But they had a chopper! They are too far gone and we don't even know where they're going!" 

"Would you two stop it!" Asahi's calm demeanor finally snapped, causing everybody in the room to flinch. "Sit down and calm down. I know we're all upset, but fighting won't help anything. Just let me fix you up and then we can try and work out what to do next." Koushi breathed a sigh of relief. Thank every God for Asahi. At least he remained somewhat composed, at least enough to settle Yuu and Ryuunosuke's boiling tempers. Yuu moved to the couch and plopped himself down, bony ass catching the edge of Ryuu's thigh as he failed to scooch over in time to make room. 

"He's right, though." Tobio croaked. His voice sounds so tiny and fragile, like it's going to break at any moment. "We don't know where they're taking him. For all we know he's on his way to America or something." It was hard for Koushi not to laugh as he ruffled the younger boy's already ruffled hair. "I don't think they took him to America."

"We knew where they took him." Daichi's voice fell on them like stones. There was no point in being subtle about it, but the bluntness of it still stung. "Wait really? Where?!" Ryuu asked. Koushi inhaled deeply through his nose. He and Daichi locked eyes. Nodded. It would be easier on all of them to just spit it out. 

"They're taking him back to The Lab." 

The revelation went over like a ton of bricks. Asahi let out an involuntary gasp. The first aid kit fell from his grasp and clattered to the ground. Yuu's spine straightened and his face paled. The Lab had taken many things from the Flock, his eyesight being one of them. Tobio simply stared up at Koushi in horror. "No. No they can't take him there..." Koushi wanted to scoop Tobio, no, his whole Flock up into his arms and squeeze them. Tell them that it would be okay and that, no, Shoyo wasn't on his way back to The Lab. The place they had been imprisoned in for years, the place that had taken their childhoods and so much more. That this was all a big, bad joke being played on them. That Shoyo was going to pop out from behind Takeda's old recliner and laugh at how sad they had all looked. 

But he wasn't, so he couldn't. "I thought that after 7 years they would have forgotten." Asahi mumbled. Daichi shook his head firmly. "No. They'll never forget us. Takeda wasn't supposed to take us, and that's why he hid us here. He knew they would stop at nothing to get us back. If the public knew about the things they've done to us it would end them."

"Well, why don't we just tell the public? We go to a nearby town and tell the news about us." Tobio suggested.

"Okay, and what do we do when they put us in a zoo?" Ryuu's voice warbled. He was trying to keep it together, he could tell. No matter how tough he acted he was just as frightened as the rest of them. "Well then what do you suggest we do?" While they debated, Daichi had slipped out unnoticed and returned with a large stack of yellowing files. The mere sight of them made Koushi's blood turn cold. He finished clearing dishes from the table and spread them out, brushing off bits of cobweb and dust that had cumulated over 7 years in storage. The others slowly began to gather around the table. 

"Are these-"

"Takeda's old files." Slivers of text and grainy pictures jumped out at them. A small, scrawny boy with scraggly hair down to his chin and sorrow filled eyes, several small unintelligible maps with two highlighted areas marked with question marks. Asahi swallowed hard and brushed another paper over it. After some shuffling and sorting, Daichi let out a noise of triumph and held up a small, thick square which he quickly began to unfold. "What is that?"

"A map." A bright red circle highlights a very familiar mountain and trails across the page into the Miyagi prefecture where another circle surrounds a small portion of the Tohoku region. Daichi tapped it gently. "There. That's where The Lab is."

"Then that's where we're heading." The Flock went rigid at Koushi's words. "R-Right. Cuz that's where Shoyo is, and we need to get him back. We can't just let them keep him-they-they're  _monsters._ " Ryuu began to ramble. Asahi eventually wrapped his hand around the younger boy's mouth to ebb the flow of word vomit. "How far is it?"

"Maybe 440 kilometers or so. A 7 hour flight, not including breaks." Yuu let out a heavy sigh through his nose. "Can we maybe talk about this? We're gonna be super outnumbered _if_ we even make it there in one piece. They had guns and a chopper, and who knows how many more Erasers!"

Koushi understood his fear, but there was nothing he could do to soothe it. "We have to get Shoyo back, no matter the stakes. We look after each other, and as long as I'm alive none of us are going back in dog crates." He took a deep breath. "And if it makes you feel any better, you're not coming. We need you, Ryuu, and Asahi to stay here and hold down the fort. Just in case he makes it out and heads back here-"

"That's such a load of shit! That's not why you want us to stay and you know it!" Tension twisted in his gut to the point of pain. "Fine." He choked out. "You're a great flyer, Yuu. But you are  _blind._ I can't be worrying about how you're navigating strange terrain in the middle of a firefight with the Erasers." Yuu let out an angry cry but Ryuu cut in before he could speak. "What about me? And Asahi?"

"We're going to be logging major hours. Plus I'm not gonna leave the blind 13 year old by himself. And on top of that I'm not leaving the blind 13 year old alone with you. Asahi is staying to make sure you don't blow up the house."

"Takeda would have never made us stay." Yuu spat. "Never ever."

"Maybe not. But we'll never know, Takeda is dead. Daichi, Tobio, get your gear together. 

* * *

 The wind beat at them relentlessly. "We all clear on Plan B?" Daichi nodded, ever the strong and silent type. Tobio lifted one hand to shield his eyes from the sun. "Yeah. If we get separated we meet at the northern most point on Mount Shirane. By the Yugama crater." 

"Alright, good. And do you remember where The Lab is?" Koushi didn't know how long he could last with these two. He loved them dearly, but they were both horrible conversation partners. "The forests surrounding the town of Marumori."

"Very good. Got that?" Daichi nodded again. His dark wings filled the sky, lightly too long bangs whipping in the wind. Despite all this, he seemed serene. Being this high up, with the wind whistling in their ears and sun glistening off of their wings. Koushi imagined this is what Gods felt like.

He glanced over at Tobio to find that his face was no where near as serene as Daichi's. In fact, it seemed to be the exact polar opposite. His jaw was clenched and his eyes dark. "What's on your mind, buddy?"

"Well, I've been thinking." Uh oh. Here we go. "While you two were packing I looked over a few of those files. I saw one that had my name- my birth name- on it. It had some other names and then it had a little map. The map was of this little town called Tsumagoi. It's only about 20 minutes from Kusatsu, and I was wondering..." Oh.

"Listen, Tobio. I know what you're getting at, but you have to remember that those names might not have any relation to you. They could just be the scientists, or someone else entirely." His icy blue eyes turned from dark and focused to downtrodden. Koushi sighed. "If it makes you feel any better, once we get Shoyo back we can check it out. Okay?"

"Yeah. Don't worry about it, I was just thinking." Koushi sighed. There was no way this wasn't going to come back and bite him in the butt. He spared a quick glance at his watch, noting that they had been airborne for a good hour now, and they would need to stop soon for food. They were making good time, but he feared it wouldn't be enough. There was so much damage that could be done by those maniac scientists in just a few short hours. 

_"We're coming, Shoyo. Just wait a little while longer."_

* * *

His head pounded and his mouth was dry. He tried to stretch his aching limbs only to be obstructed by the tight walls of the dog crate they had tossed him into. It didn't take a genius to match the strong scent of death and chemicals with his current location. They had taken him back to The Lab.   

_New new wings boy new_

It was hard to see out of the mesh cage, but across the way he could make out two shapes, crammed into an extra large crate across the room. Their ages were hard to make out, their eyes too big for hungry, thin faces. He looked around, trying to sense the presence of any whitecoats. Nothing for now. They were safe. "Hello there." A wave of new thoughts from around the room rushed over him. 

_New noise mouth boy new new_

His eyes adjusted and he could make out more features. The taller boy's skin was littered with patches of scaly skin and two slits in the sides of his throat that could only be described as gills. The other seemed like someone had tripped while mixing together his DNA and added in several unnecessary items. He had extra fingers and toes. Both had scraggly winglike appendages with ruffled, messy feathers protruding from their backs. He could hear their labored breathing from his own crate. "My name is Shoyo. Do you...have names?" 

_Names?_

They looked terrified. Confused. Slowly they turned away from him and shrunk towards the back of their shared crate. Shoyo swallowed hard. He couldn't help but wonder what had happened to Koushi and the rest of the Flock. Were they somewhere in cages too? He couldn't feel them nearby at all. Maybe they weren't here? Maybe they were... He shook the thought from his head. He didn't even want to consider that possibility. 

Suddenly the door on the far side of the room burst open and new excited thoughts filled his head alongside a wave of panic that swept over every experiment in the area. Two pairs of sensible shoes stopped right outside his crate. "Yamamoto was right! They really got one!" One of the men kneeled down and leered at her through the grate. "Do you know how long I've wanted to get my hands on one of these?" He stood and turned to his partner, chattering happily about some report he had read ages ago. 

"That's really it? This little boy is Subject 10?" 

"The one and only!" The man stooped down once more and pried open the door. "Come on, little thing. You're wanted over in Lab 7." 

_"I can't wait to get a section of that brain!"_

Shoyo winced as the rough hands hauled him from his cage and too his feet. The wave of panic receded and was replaced with relief. The two boys across from him shot him looks of sympathy, but he could feel their thoughts. How happy they both were that they whitecoats were taking him away and not one of them. He couldn't say he blamed them. 

* * *

"I say we throw all of their stuff off the summit." Yuu was pacing. He had been pacing since the other three had set out. Ryuu, on the other hand, had curled up in the fetal position in Takeda's old recliner and committed himself to a full body pout session. "If we all work together, we can even get the beds up there." Asahi had no idea how hard this had to be on him. Listening to the others leave while he sat around feeling useless because he just happened to be blind. 

"This sucks." Ryuu croaked. 

"Oh, did that just occur to you?" Ryuu snarled at the sarcasm dripping from Yuu's voice. "Shut up!"

"You guys, stop it. Being angry with each other won't make things better."

"And you telling us to calm down will? Now like I was saying about throwing their stuff out-" Asahi buried his head in his hands. The past hour without Daichi and Koushi had been utter hell on his nerves. He had tried cleaning up their breakfast mess, but that hadn't helped. Neither had trying to settle in and read, seeing as Yuu and Ryuu were incapable of going five minutes without finding new things to argue about. Aside from it, the house seemed too quiet. He kept expecting Daichi to yell at them to settle down, or find himself listening for Shoyo's soft voice while he played with his toys or fought with Tobio. 

"We got left behind because you're blind, because they thought you couldn't keep up!" Yuu stiffened and Asahi could have sworn he saw tears began to form in the corner of his eyes. "Th-that's not all. The Erasers  _could_ come back." He rushed to cover Ryuu's harsh words. Of course, he couldn't let the thought of killer werecats coming to kill them fester in their minds. "But the house is hard to find and even harder to get to."

"But it's not far from the strawberry field. They saw all of us and if they want us dead or whatever what's gonna stop 'em?"

"Ryuunosuke-"

"Plus they had a chopper! And lots of big guns, and not to mention the whole mutant werecat thing-"

" _Ryuunosuke."_ Asahi let out a gruff growl. Yuu had this strange look on his face. He was obviously hurt, but still contemplating Ryuu's words. Uh oh. "We don't have to sit here and take it. We can plan. Set traps."

"We can beat them to the punch. I see what you mean, so to speak." 

"We can build bombs-"

"I'm all about bombs! Remember the one we made last Christmas? The one that made the new trail through the woods?" Asahi remembered the avalanche it had almost caused, yes. He could feel his blood pressure rising as they continued to reminisce on past explosions and map out plans for new ones. "We start out with some fire bombs, for protection, of course." Ryuu stood and began pawing through the end table's drawer for a pen and paper. "Step two: Blow up any and all Erasers when they come back." 

"Yeah, now we're getting somewhere!" Asahi sighed. At least they weren't fighting each other anymore. Maybe the others would thank him, assuming there was still a house to return to when they came back. 

_If they came back..._

* * *

 

"Koushi?" Tobio's voice cut into the silence that they had comfortably flown in for the past two hours. "I'm getting hungry..." A loud growl followed his words and accented his point. In all honesty, Koushi had been ignoring his own grumbling innards for a while. He wanted to put less space between them and The Lab before a pitstop. That, and he didn't want to be the first to suggest a break. He felt as if he did, he would be letting Daichi win their unspoken game of who was tougher. He turned his head to his co-leader. "You ready for a break?" 

Silence. A nod. That settled it. He folded his wings in, allowing himself to slowly drop below the clouds and near the ground. Below them were mountains with little towns nestled in valleys. "We should be pretty near Kusatsu now, maybe we could stop nearby and head up the mountain. Pick a spot to rest pretty close to the top?" Daichi suggested. 

"Sounds like a plan. We can't stop for long, though. We've only got about 4 hours left before we need to start looking for the building and I don't want to lose any more time." 

"And what's the plan then?" It was an innocent enough question, coming from Tobio. But it set every nerve in Koushi's body on edge. What would they do? Storm the place? Sneak in, grab Shoyo, and sneak out? Start throwing hands and taking names, destroying The Lab once and for all. He had really only thought through one finite plan, one where everyone would get out alive. Everyone but him, but he had come to terms with that possibility. 

The closer they came to the ground, the more beautiful the landscape became. Like a checkered quilt, dotted with moving cars that looked like shiny multicolored ants scurrying along the ground. "I wonder what the boys are doing back home. Do you think they got the TV to work again?"

"That would be nice. You and Shoyo could watch that anime you like when we get back." Leave it to Daichi to hold some hope with him. Tobio's eyes narrowed and his lips pursed, the closest thing he would come to in the smiling department. Koushi smiled as well and turned his attention to the ground below. They were coasting over a park now. It had to be late afternoon, as the park was flooded with children and their caregivers. They all seemed so happy now, but he couldn't help but pity them. They would have to return to school tomorrow, while the three of them would (hopefully) be able to return home and live their lives as free birds. 

They were closer to the ground now. Another glance caused his heart to stop and every ounce of blood to run cold in his veins. There was no way. He blinked once. Twice. But he knew what he had saw and no matter what it wasn't going away. "I have to go I'll meet you guys at Shirane."

"What? No!" Daichi cawed.

"Where are you going?" Tobio chirped. "Meet me at Yugama Crater. I have to check something." 

"Koushi, no. We have to-"

"It'll take two seconds, Dai! Just meet me at Yugama!" Koushi had rocketed away from them before Daichi could muster up another word of protest. He glared at him as he disappeared once again. He hated when he did this, tried to be a hero and all. But there was no use in trying to please everyone.

The park came up on him fast. Luckily there was a small grove where he could touch down unnoticed. The second his toes touched the ground he pulled his wings in tight, tighter than he had ever done before, and slipped on his thick wind breaker. He should pass for normal human now, at least long enough to confirm him suspicions. He emerged from the trees, hands in his pocket and chest puffed out. The sounds of play were clear as day now along with the faces of the way too many people that occupied the space. This was starting to seem like a bad idea. His stomach twisted as he drew closer and closer to the playground.

But now that he was amid the fray, he could see it clearly. His suspicion was confirmed. That little shock of recognizable red hair ran and played and swung with the other children. Those big amber eyes that scrunched with shrieks of laughter. Those little identifiable features that made his Shoyo so special. But that wasn't him. She was younger, smaller. Her wily red hair was pulled into little twin tails and pinned back with barrettes.

This little girl in a town he had never been too looked just like his baby.

What kind of sick joke was God playing on him with this?

She toddled past the swings, over to the sand box near the edge of the playground. She plopped down, obviously worn out from her vigorous play and craving some alone time. Though he feels betrayed by the world, it lifts his spirits to see her living such a normal life here in this little town. Unaware of the troubles her doppleganger could be facing right at this moment. The troubles her world will never know of if there's anything he can do about it. He fights down the urge to move closer. Crouch down next to her and help her build a sand castle for the ants that lived in a hill nearby. 

Someone else beats him to the punch. A tall man plopped down beside her and listened to her exited chatter as she pawed the sand into shape. "Her father?" He whispered. Most likely. The longing to interact with the girl was soon replaced with a jealously and a deep sadness. He wondered if Shoyo could have played with Takeda like that if he had lived longer. If they were normal kids, would they have come to parks like this? Had picnics or trips or amusement parks? Would they even know each other or would they be with their parents? It didn't matter. He was wasting time. Daichi and Tobio were waiting. Shoyo was waiting.

The man scooped the girl into his arms and began to walk away, passing Koushi as he left. The two met eyes. The look in his eyes....it didn't sit right with him for whatever reason. "Natsu? Natsu, sweetie it's time to go!" His head snapped over to the voice. A young woman searched the playground from a bench a few yards away. With each passing second the worry in her eyes grows. "Natsu?!" 

Something inside him snaps. This wasn't a coincidence. "Hey-!" He called to the man. He tensed and suddenly broke into a run. "HEY! HEY HEY!" He had to make a scene. People had to see this. He wasn't about to let another child get taken today, not when he could stop it. All attention was on him and the man as he raced after him, the little girl now blubbering and struggling in his grasp. "Natsu!!" The woman broke into a run as well. Several of the other parents had scooped up their own children, watching the scene like hawks protecting the nest. Those who could joined the chase. 

 _"You're fast. Faster than anyone."_ Adrenaline flooded his veins and his legs pumped faster.  _"You can outrun anything. Anyone."_ Amber eyes flashed with fury. He threw out his hands. To grab. To push. To beat. 

 _"Come on! You know you can do it!"_ He pounced with the primal fury that had built up inside him since this morning. The man toppled like a felled tree. Sharp nails slashed like a raptor's claws, cries and screeches mixing and filling the ears of terrified stay-at-home moms. Several phones trained on the scene before them. They didn't dare miss a second of this. Suddenly a stunning punch snapped across the silver haired boy's face and the would-be kidnapper shoved him off of him. Once he was on his feet again he took off once more. The young woman screeched to stop mere feet from her fallen hero. 

"No! No, come back! Please..." The young man gave out a weak cough, blood coating his fist. He had one arm wrapped around his torso, curled in on himself. She dropped to her knees beside him. "Did you see his face?! Where was he going?!" 

"I...I don't know..." Her heart was breaking. "But he won't get far." He sat up, arm still curled protectively across his stomach. "And neither is she." A familiar whimper resonated from his stomach. The woman gasped. Natsu crawled from the young boy's arms and over to her guardian, who tearfully accepted her into open arms. "You got her! I can't believe it, you got her! Oh Natsu, I'm so so so so sorry, my baby. I'm so sorry, I'll never let that happen again." She gave her hero another once over. "You look like shit. Are you okay?" 

"Yeah. These aren't from him. Besides, I'm not done." He hauled himself to his feet, flinching at the crowd that had gathered around them and cooed at him in awe. "Has anyone called the police?" A few murmurs indicated that one mother was already on the phone with an operator as they spoke. "Tell them I've got it handled." Without another word he had rocketed off once again. 

His superhuman speed let him catch up to the perp instantaneously. He had one foot in the back of the world's sketchiest van, two buddies ushering him to move faster as the driver stepped on the gas and began to speed away. Sure, he could snap out his wings and descend on the van like an angel of death, but all of the parents were watching him and he couldn't risk anyone seeing his true form. More running it is, then. 

The two perps pulled their accomplice into the van, one moving from him to retrieve something from the seat beside him. A loud bang and the sound of air whizzing past his ear paints the perfect picture. A gun. Great, nothing better than kidnappers with accomplices and guns. His legs pumped wildly, soon he was within spitting distance. Another bullet fired, dodged. One hand grasped the still open door and hauled himself half way into the van. The other hand balled into a fist and threw out two quick punches. He felt the man's nose break under the weight of his attack. Humans were really built like eggshells, weren't they? 

"You should have stayed out of this, bitch!" The one with the gun screams. Another bang. There is no way he missed at this range. Pain blossomed in his shoulder and then even deeper into his windbreaker. No. No, he couldn't have. The van took a hard right and his grip faltered. He could watch the van disappear as his body ragdolled down the street, landing on his injured side in a pathetic heap. People were staring again. Someone else on the phone with police or a hospital. He pushed himself up, ignoring the screaming in his body as he teetered on his feet, and then vanished into the maze of suburban alleys. 

* * *

 

They touched down at the mouth of a cave near the summit of Mt. Shirane. Tobio's stomach gave out a loud rumble. He was tired, hungry again, and still confused. Where had Koushi gone? Shouldn't he be back by now? He had promised that it would only be a minute or two but it had taken them nearly 10 to reach this spot. Was he hurt? "Should we....?" He trailed off, but Daichi knew what he meant. He shook his head.

"No. It's not safe for all of us to go down there. Here." He fished something out of his coat pocket and tossed it in Tobio's direction. His eyes widened at the shiny red foil as it plopped into his hands. "Chocolate? Where did you get chocolate?" 

"Secret." He dropped the heavy supply bags Koushi had dumped on him and moved deeper into the cave. They had chosen a spot right on the Yugama Crater. The mouth had a wide ledge that dropped steeply into the crystal blue lake below. Despite heavy tourist activity, it had been the perfect meet up spot. There were plenty of places to hide, a clear shot to open sky should they need a quick escape. The cave itself was fairly shallow, deep enough to provide quick shelter. 

"We'll just have to make this work until Koushi comes back. Are you okay with that, Tobio?" No response. He tried very hard not to let panic take over. Tobio was a quiet kid. There was no reason to suspect he had gotten hurt or anything so soon after touch down. But then again, there was no reason to think the Erasers would ever find them. He turned back and power walked to the ledge. "Tobio what are you-" The younger boy simply pointed. 

The ledge curved upward toward the top of the cliff. Thin patches of scrubby plants dotted the area, boulders sticking up out of the hard packed dirt. Upon these boulders sat a colony of nests. Some nests had cheeping fledglings begging for food and watchful parents staring down the two intruders. "What are they?"

"Mountain hawk-eagles. One of the largest birds of prey in the country. Sit down. Slowly." He gently guided the boy to his knees, then into a sitting position. At the same painfully slow rate he dropped to one knee, both arms secured around Tobio, and spread out his own ginormous wings. Every hawk swiveled in unison to face them. Tobio was suddenly very aware of the sharp talons and curved beaks. Perfect for shredding and tearing. Perfect for feeding little fledglings. "What are you doing?" He whispered.

"Letting them catch my scent. I read about these in one of Takeda's books..." It felt like years before the hawks relaxed, returning to their business with full acceptance of their new neighbors. Their large, tawny wings reminded him of Asahi's own huge powerful appendages. "Here, spread your wings out. It'll help them get used to you. Plus the sun feels pretty nice." He did as he was told. He supposed that maybe it wouldn't hurt to wait here for Koushi just a little bit longer.  

But not  _to_ long. Shoyo still needed them. "He's waiting for us." He picked absently at a scab on his knee. "We used to tell jokes when we were supposed to be asleep... I'm really gonna miss that."

"Hey, don't say that. We'll get him back. We just have to wait for Koushi." They sit in silence for awhile. "See how that hawk is flying? The big one. It looks like it's moving one wing faster than the other when it banks. Makes them really tight and smooth. We should try that." Tobio followed the bird, noting it's style and precision. "Yeah. I see what you mean." He had barely finished his sentence when Daichi took a running leap and hurled himself into the air. How could he be so care free when Koushi was missing and Shoyo was in the clutches of The Lab? Wasn't he worried? 

Of course he was. Daichi worried almost as much as Asahi, he just wasn't verbal about it. He loved Shoyo like a little brother and he wasn't exactly subtle about his adoration for the silver haired boy. Maybe he would ask him about it when he came back. Daichi swept past the cave, a big smile plastered on his face. "Come on! Try it, you'll fly much better!" 

Well...there was no harm in practicing. He would just have to ask after this session. Flying alongside Daichi and the hawks reminded him of his first flying lesson only a few short years ago. Asahi and Daichi had coaxed him and Shoyo to the roof, lured them to the ledge, and pushed them off one by one. Like a mother bird nudging her babies out of the nest. Koushi and Ryuu had been hovering just below, ready to catch and guide them through the fear of first flight. The memory brought tears to his eyes which quickly dried in the afternoon breeze. 

"It's weird." He mumbled as he picked apart a protein bar later that evening. "These dumb birds have more of a Mom than we'll ever have." Daichi stared forlornly out at the hawks, all settling in for the night's rest. "Yeah. I get it." He moved closer, gently wrapping an arm around the tiny boy. "We should get some sleep. Another big day tomorrow." Tobio nodded, pulling his knees closer to his chest before sighing heavily and heading deep into the cave and curling against the wall. "Alright. Night Daichi." 

"Night, Tobio." 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The twin terrors make something devious  
> Shoyo makes a promise  
> Koushi makes a friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *80s synth music plays while i lay face down in the middle of downtown* hgggggn im posting this on my birthday bc im a piece of trash so haha

Living in a laboratory full of science and innovation had seemingly rubbed off on him after all those years. But instead of using his knowledge to genetically twist and tweak innocent people, he was sorting the haphazardly scattered guts they had harvested from their old gaming systems. "Do you think we have any chlorine? If you mix it up with other stuff it can be really explosive." 

"Why on Earth would we have chlorine?" Asahi groaned. How did he ever let these two get away with this? Was it really worth it to stop the incessant bickering? Well, seeing as it had given Yuu a reason to use his big old brain to finally get around to fixing their computer so they could download blue prints for their bombs, he was leaning hard towards yes. 

"What color is this wire?" 

"Yellow." 

"Okay, good. Keep track of the yellow wire. Do not confuse it with the red wire." He effortlessly maneuvered it into place. "What's next?"

"We need a timing device of some sort. Any ideas?" A wicked grin spread across his face. "Yeah. Go grab me Koushi's alarm clock." 

* * *

His lungs burned in his chest. His entire body burned, actually. At least, where he still had feeling. He wanted to stop hours ago, but every time he showed even the slightest signs of slowing those sadistic men would prod at him with a long stick crackling with electricity. His arms and back were already marked with a few distinct burns from it. Did Koushi and Daichi and all the others have to do these tests when they were his age? Did whitecoats prod at them and smirk evilly when they shrieked? 

He hooked a sharp right, nearly avoiding a head on collision with the wall ahead of him before taking another right. How long was this maze? It seemed much longer than the others he had gone through. There were more dead ends in this one, that was for sure. 

_Left, left, right, left, straight ahead for 15 steps._

_BPM and respiratory patterns remain stable despite consistent physical activity._

_Hasn't attempted to use flight since last failure._

Countless thoughts bombarded him as he ran, the last causing a phantom ache to pass through his wings. He quickly looked up at the seemingly open space above him. Now that he focused on it he could see his own faint flushed reflection in the squeaky clean glass. This wasn't the whitecoat's first rodeo. And if they had any say in it he was sure it wouldn't be their last. 

It seemed like an eternity before the exit finally revealed itself. He charged it, moving faster than he ever had before. He wanted this to be over more than anything. He broke past the outstretched tape that marked the finish line, rough hands grabbing him and scooping him up like he was nothing more than feathers before he could go any further. They knew he was fast, they had spent the last four hours testing how fast he could go. They wouldn't run the risk of letting him outrun them and disappearing again.

"It's heart rate only increased by 17% and only in the last 20 or so minutes did it's peak oxygen level break." Yamamoto muttered to his colleagues. Someone pressed a glass of water to his lips and he happily accepted it. His throat felt raw and course, like he had been eating sand. "I'm so glad we got to study Subject Eleven. Interesting intelligence levels for it's age." 

_I've been waiting to dissect this recombinant for years! I can't wait to get a look at the brain!_

He had to use that big brain to think of a way out of here. On the off chance that no one ever came for him, he would have to fight for himself. They rough hands hauled him back through the Lab and into the storage room. He was tossed unceremoniously into his crate, cage door slamming behind him. He lay where he fell, grateful to at least be off his feet. Across the room the gilled boy gaped at him. He was far to tired to try and read his thoughts, but even in his hazy state he noticed the other boy had gone missing. Possibly for good. 

 _Not me._ Shoyo thought.  _I'm gonna fight. After....after I rest..._

* * *

Rain drenched him down to the bone. From the amount of blood and pain seeping from his shoulder, he figured that it was no longer just a figure of speech. He had been wandering alleys and back roads for hours, and continued to do so after the sun had set and the downpour started. Koushi hadn't been able to spot hide nor hair of the thugs. The more he wandered, the more this all seemed for naught. 

The only thing keeping him from running back to Mount Shirane was the pouring rain. He was never the best at flying in poor weather, and he couldn't risk his shoddy navigation hurting him even more. Besides, he wasn't even sure he could move his wing. It had taken a lot of damage not only from the shot but from being thrown from the van so roughly. He assumed he had landed on it at a weird angle and bruised it. Could that even happen? God he couldn't even remember. When was the last time he had been hurt this badly? It had to be during his time at The Lab. 

Shoyo was there right now. Hours away being subjected to God knows what and he was stuck in a mysterious town with a flesh wound because of a hunch. Because he had seen a hint of red and jumped at it. It was stupid to think that he would end up here, of all places. If he had managed to escape the helicopter in the first place, he would probably try and head home. Assuming the Erasers would let him get that far. But when he saw that unmistakable strawberry floof he lost all sense of reality and went for it. Daichi and Tobio were going to be so pissed at him. 

The mud was becoming unbearably thick, almost like quicksand sucking him in and gripping his sneakers and jeans like a vice. Through the heavy rain he could see lights and the closer he drew to them the better he could make out the figures standing out on the lawn. A pang of relief washed over him, quickly followed by a pang of fear. He had made it back to the residential areas but was he really sure he wanted to be there? If it were a store or a shed then he could hole up for the night. But a house meant people and people could make the situation complicated. 

"Hurry up, Natsu. The rain is getting to heavy, even for froggies!" His stomach jolted. He recognized that voice. He recognized the short haired woman and the little red haired girl that rushed up to her, bright yellow boots and slicker squeaking with every movement. "One more, please please please!" The woman chuckled. "Alright, one more. Make it fast, you don't wanna get too wet!" She watched the little girl like a hawk, scanning the yard and surrounding area. Watching for the attempted kidnappers, no doubt. She had almost lost her baby once today, she wouldn't let it happen again. But in this moment her back was turned and she was too absorbed in the small girl that she didn't notice Koushi approaching from behind.

He really _really_ didn't want to do this. But desperate times called for desperate measures. "Uh, hello there." She jumped twirling and wielding her open umbrella like a sword. He came closer, light illuminating his features. "Oh! It's you! Thank you so much for running after them, I don't know what I would do if they had gotten away with it." He forced out a dry chuckle. "Yeah, I uh....I just can't stand to see that, y'know? Like what if it had been my kid? I just did what I would've wanted someone else to do for me." He wanted to bite off his own tongue. The woman giggled. 

"Well, I can't even begin to thank you enough. Glad to see you made it out in one piece." Another dry peal of laughter left his lips. "Well, mostly." The hand clutching his wounded shoulder slid away and she let out a horrified gasp. Now she could clearly see the blood, both fresh and long since dried around the fraying jacket and tattered skin that lie beneath it. "What the Hell? Why didn't you say something sooner?! Or-or go to the hospital?!" He opened his mouth to fire off some bullshit lie but before he could answer she opened the gate and pulled him inside by the wrist on his uninjured arm.

"Come inside, I can try and fix you up. Natsu, baby, it's time to go in!" She released his arm and moved to scoop up the 5 year old, ignoring her protests and begging to hunt for frogs just a little bit longer. Koushi stood still as a statue. He was hesitating. It wasn't too late to turn tail and disappear into the night forever. The sudden throb of intense pain in his shoulder said otherwise. "Can you walk okay or do you need help?" The woman called from now open front door. He shook his head and dumbly wobbled up the steps and into the house. There was officially no turning back.

"Go wait for me in the bathroom just down the hall, I'll get my kit."

"Are you a doctor?"

"Vet, actually. Well, I'm an assistant. Now go, you've probably already lost a lot of blood. Oh, I'll grab you some juice too." She began to ramble quietly under her breath and ducked into another room. A vet assistant. How appropriate. He stumbled through the hall, opening a few doors before finally landing in the bathroom. He perched on the edge of the tub, clutching his shoulder and taking in his surroundings. A simply decorated western style house, probably fairly new. He had only seen the front door, and didn't know of any other escape routes aside from windows. He began to fidget uncomfortably. " _This was such a bad idea. If Daichi was here he would never let me live this down."_

The woman arrived like a tornado and practically threw her supply kit onto the sink. "Alright. I'm gonna have to cut your shirt and jacket off, is that okay?" He nodded. The cold blade of her scissors brushed against the wound and he fought to keep from jolting away from her. Now that he was sitting still he could feel the wooziness of blood loss and a long _long_ day settling in. His eyes fluttered, fighting to stay awake. The slide of fabric falling off his frame barely registered in his mind. "Honey, you have to stay with me. Talk to me, okay? How about you tell me your name?"

"Koushi." 

"Very good. Nice to meet you, Koushi. My name is Tanaka Saeko. Now, Koushi, is there a reason you didn't go to the hospital? Or call your parents." He failed to keep a snort from escaping.  _Hello, top secret lab? May I please speak to the test tubes?_

"Or the police?" 

"No. They should focus on finding the men who tried to take Natsu, not a silly flesh wound." Saeko let out a little hum. "Yeah, but it's pretty deep and messy. And back here-" She had finished pulling off the last layer of bloody rain soaked clothing. Her voice dropped off mid sentence as her fingers slid over the soft feathery appendage. Koushi started straight ahead, every muscle in his body tensed and on edge. "Koushi. What is this?" He instinctively pulled them closer to his body, wincing at the pain it caused. He could probably still run. The front door was just down the hall and as far as he knew the only other person in the house was Natsu. 

"It's....uh...it's a wing." The silence was so thick it felt like it was choking him. "My wing. It got hurt too." His eyes squeezed shut and he slowly unfurled his wings. He waited. And waited. Waited for Saeko to say something.  _Anything._

"Huh. Yeah, it looks like it nicked the bone a bit." His head swiveled to meet her gaze. She looked so calm. Like  _"Yeah, you have a wing. No big deal."_ sort of calm. 

"Here." She retrieved the tall glass of dark red juice and pressed it into his free hand. "Drink this. You'll need it. After we clean the wound we'll have to stitch it up. When was your last tetanus shot?"

"N-never?" He felt like he was going to cry. If Daichi ever found out he would absolutely kill him. And once he was dead, he would kill him again. And he deserved it. "That's okay, we can take care of that too." 

* * *

"Please be careful. Hey, you two, did you hear me?  _Very careful._ " Asahi was going to  _die._ Letting them build bombs? Outside of his comfort zone for sure. Letting them drag him out of the house and onto a scarcely used mountain road in the middle of the night? Even more so. The fact that those demons had had him carry the bomb they had affectionately named "Big Boy"? He had never felt farther from his comfort zone ever in his life.

Ryuunosuke sprinkled nails along the road while Yuu dowsed their old camping tarp in the last of their cooking oil. "Okay, Dad. We get it. The bomb won't go off, if that's what you're nervous about." 

"It's one of the things I'm nervous about." The twin demons let out a hellish peal of laughter. "Would you two keep it down? We saw them set up a camp a few miles away!" 

"Stop worrying! We're done here anyways." Ryuu unfurled his large wings and pushed off, dropping the now empty jar he had used to store the nails as he took off. Asahi flinched at the sound of shattering glass. "Yuu, watch where you step, okay?" The younger boy nodded and cautiously moved away from his masterpiece. Asahi held his arms like two straight boards in front of him for him to latch onto and he led him to the edge of the mountain road. "Just jump. We're heading to the old fort, okay? If you can, try and follow Ryuu. " His noise of conformation had barely left his lips before he simply stepped off the steep edge, wings snapping out at the last second to carry him into the night. 

About 70 odd years ago, loggers had built a cabin to shelter themselves from harsh mountain winters. Years after its abandonment, seven winged children and their human caretaker had stumbled upon it and transformed it into a secret clubhouse. Once again it's purpose has been changed. Three teens peered out of the dust coated window facing the road they had meticulously littered with traps just moments ago. The sun was beginning it's slow rise into the center of the sky and casting soft violet rays of light over the valley. "Do you see anything? Is anyone coming?" Yuu whispered.

"No, not yet. It looks like they're packing up, though. They should be moving on soon." He carefully described the Erasers and their movements. There were about four of them, all young and strong looking teenagers. The oldest had darker skin and a clean buzzcut, the tallest seemed to lack eyebrows but make up for it with wide eyes and an unsettlingly small mouth. The final two looked no older than Yuu, one with wildly spiky brown hair and a long lanky build and the other looking like the text book description of Japanese First Year High school student. Three of them worked to pack the sleek black Hummer while the oldest surveyed the surrounding area. It seemed as if he were looking for something. Someone.

"They just finished packing up camp. They're getting into the Hummer aaaaaand-" Yuu's sensitive hearing could pick up the faint gas guzzling roar of the engine as if purred to life. "They've just taken off. They're really speeding now! Come on come on go go go!" Ryuu enunciated each word with harsh pound against the weakened wooden window frame. The Erasers were driving quiet recklessly, speeding down the road with abandon. Nothing could stop them from reaching their objective. Nothing, of course, except and expertly hidden trap. 

_It was really happening_

It was like watching a movie. One minute they were tearing down the road and in the next it swerved violently with an audible squeal of brakes. It continued in tight spirals until slamming harshly against a tree at an angle, causing it to achieve flight for mere seconds before landing upside down with a loud  ** _CRUNCH._** Both Ryuu and Asahi let out screams, one of joy and one out of utter horror. "You two have two seconds to tell me exactly what happened!" Ryuu all but spit the scene from his brain and into Yuu's ears. "Signs of life?"

"None that I can-Oh, wait. Yeah yeah one of them just punched out a window. There's one...two...th-oh _shiiiit."_

"What? What?"

"All of them made it. They're all up and walking, too. They're heading into the woods on foot." Asahi had to physically drag the smaller boys away from the window. He couldn't risk them being spotted by the Eraser's catlike eyes. All it would take is a glance and they would shift into their full cat forms, perfect for attacking. "Phase One, done." Ryuu proclaimed as he flopped down onto a creaky lawn chair proceeded by a cloud of thick dust. They really hadn't used this in forever, probably not since Takeda died. "I say we head back to the house and make more plans. Try and wipe 'em out for good this time so they can't come back and steal anymore of us." 

Yuu nodded vigorously. He opened his mouth to add to the conversation only to take in a sharp breath. Sightless eyes flick to the door and his tiny fingers spread out across the wooden floorboards. "Did you hear-" He shushed him harshly. There was faint vibration in the wood. Footsteps. "Is it a raccoon?"

"Not in the day time. Not this big..." A sudden scratch at the door caused their blood to collectively run cold. "Little mice? Are you hiding in your hole?" A serene melodic voice floated through the door. Asahi corralled the two closer, large arms partially enveloping as if the sheer beefiness of his frame would protect them from harm. He leaned down so his head was level with Yuu's.  "8 o' clock and 2 o' clock. Door is off the table." He nodded. Another scratch and he could feel the small boy tense against him. Suddenly the door imploded with a deafening crash. Through the shower of wood a familiar form emerged. 

"Tetsuro!" He let out a cackle as he began to shift, filling the doorway with black fur and sharp claws. Another form filled the dust clouded window. "Mousy mousy, come out and play~" 

Shit. Windows were off the table. They didn't have a choice. They would have to forget flight and go straight to fight. Most likely a fight to the death.  _"No. Not if I can help it. I can't let these kids get hurt."_

"Up and away." He whispered. No matter how hard they fought, they were doomed. They were outnumbered and despite their strength and speed they couldn't do anything in this confined space. "Are you crazy?" The window to their rear shattered and the tall silvery Eraser began to crawl inside. "Guess what?" Tetsuro croaked, his voice losing its smooth edge the closer he came to full on werecat. "We have the little one. Lab says we don't need you anymore." He chuckled. "That means we can play just like old times. Wanna play chase?" A mouth full of knives snapped far to close for comfort. "How about a little spar?"

"Ready?" Asahi was so quiet Ryuunosuke wondered if he had imagined it. "Hey hey, Tetsu, didn't you say this freak is blind?" Another Eraser had entered the room. One from the Hummer. How did he get here so fast? When did he come inside? "Dont' worry. Once we're done being blind will be the least of your worries."

"On three. One..." His toe's clenched in his shoes. "Two..." The Erasers began to close in like an unescapable ring of fire. The shout had barely left Asahi's lips when he snapped out his wings, huge and imposing as the rest of him, and surged through the rickety roof. The Erasers were forced back from the unfurling and dazed just long enough for Ryuunosuke to grab Yuu's wrist and pull him partially though the roof. He tucked his wings in to fit, losing altitude from the weight. They flopped onto the roof and slid down towards the ledge. Shingles came off in their hands when they tried to use them as hand holds. "Yuu! Ryuu! Hurry! Wings out wings out!" Ryuunosuke released his partner in crime and surged to join Asahi in the sky. Yuu had tumbled over the edge and nearly hit the ground, the tips of his large primary feathers brushing soft grass when he pushed off.

Asahi wasted no time hurling his backpack back through the hole, motioning for them to soar even higher. They had just barely made it when the timer attached to Big Boy finally reached it's designated time. The explosion was deafening. Heat singed at the soles of their sneakers even at their height. Their secret clubhouse was engulfed in relentless flames, wood crackling and snapping under its own weight. On the ground two figures cursed up at them. The third, wild haired brunette was no where to be seen. "Well that takes care of them, I hope. Unless they escaped?"  Of course, Yuu hadn't seen a thing. Ryuu once again relayed the scene before them. 

From the woods the other three Erasers emerged. One of them lifted binoculars to his face and began barking orders. "We need to get out of here." Asahi said. He felt queasy and light headed. They had done it. _He_ had done it. As the three of them soared farther and farther from the charred remains of their old hideout, he had never felt more out of his comfort zone. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am a gremlin and i don't know how to write


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Erasers running rampant on Mount Azumaya, there is no where to go but up  
> Tobio takes a detour  
> Ryuunosuke takes a risk  
> Koushi takes a well deserved nap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;jdas;kldjdasDa this story keeps me up at night
> 
> so like im already at the point where i've diverted from canon on some parts but I also Don't Care and only like 2 people read this fic anyways so

Tobio had been floating between the states of dreaming and awake for a long time before finally coming to his senses. The sun was streaming in through the entrance of the cave and directly into his eyes along with the chilly morning air. He shivered and threw out a hand, hoping to snag Daichi's shirt or arm and haul himself closer to the natural furnace that the older boy provided. Instead, his hand hit cold stone. 

Now he was really awake. The cave was empty. He tried not to let himself panic but it was no use. He rocketed to his feet. "Daichi?" His voice was high and shaky. He would have woken up if they were attack, wouldn't he? Unless the attackers had knocked him out and he hand forgotten it because of the head trauma. Hands flew over his body, checking for wounds. He was clean. Well, he didn't have anymore injuries than he had had before he went to bed. He let out a small sigh of relief, only to remember why he was checking. First Shoyo was taken, then Koushi had rocketed off to who knows where and still hadn't come back. Now Daichi was missing. 

He stumbled out onto the cave's lip. There was no sign of a struggle. Sudden movement far above his head caught his eye. The hawks were circling like a group of diligent guards protecting their home. One of the shadows was significantly larger than the other. He shielded his eyes with his hand and squinted into the sun to try and make out the large shape. "Daichi!" Wings unfurled like feathered sails and Tobio soars up to meet him. 

Daichi watched the hawks part like a wave as the small boy rushed towards him and smiled. Tobio was amazed how how natural it looked. How only a day of a new environment had somehow loosened his strings and allowed him to relax. It one hundred percent helped that that day had been spent completely free of Yuu and Ryuu's antics. He flew slightly above Daichi, folding his wings in and allowing himself to drop into his arms. It was a trick they had taught him and Shoyo when they had first learned to fly and had never grown out of. Strong arms and stronger wings supported both of their weights effortlessly. 

"Good morning."

"I thought you left." Thick fingers carded through his hair soothingly. "Sorry. Didn't wanna wake you, you had a long day yesterday." His smile tightened into a concerned line. "Speaking of, we should change our bandages. How are you feeling?" 

"Hungry." As if it was timed his stomach let out a ferocious growl. Daichi failed to contain a burst of laughter. "Alright. We can head into town and scrounge something up after we repatch." He unceremoniously tossed the younger boy away from him, watching him plummet several feet before unfurling his wings like a parachute. Moments later he joined him on the ground.

"So..." Tobio begins as Daichi applies a new bandage to his nastiest burn just below his knee. "Did Koushi ever make it back?" He shook his head. He tried to keep his expression neutral but his eyes betrayed him. He was just as scared as Tobio. He had been just as confused and worried when their fearless leader had disappeared and failed to return. He had been just as terrified when rabid werecats tore into the strawberry fields and taken his best friend. And that action only raised more questions? Why only take Shoyo? They were the same age, with Tobio being only months older. Was he not special enough for The Lab to reclaim? Not that he wanted to get kidnapped and experimented on, he was just curious. 

The pair soared away from their safe haven, the raven haired boy waving to the hawks as they took off. Several birds cocked their heads in confusion, one even let out a loud caw. They flew the short distance from the crater to Kusatsu. Even this early in the morning the small town was bustling with tourists and locals alike. Many of the local eateries were crowded with hungry folks, far too populated for their comfort and safety. Luckily for them, despite the 24 hour schedule, the local fast food chain restaurant was nearly abandoned. Which meant their dumpster was unattended and perfect for picking.

The lid slammed against the brick building and the smell of food in varying degrees of fresh hit them dead on. Most of the top layer had been thrown out mere hours ago, the oldest possibly weeks old. It was sad to admit that they had eaten worse, both in The Lab and after Takeda had vanished. Daichi's muscles screamed as he hoisted himself onto the lip of the dumpster and hopped inside. Tobio's nose scrunched in disgust. "Great. You're gonna stink up the cave."

"No, _we're_ going to stink up the cave." Before he could bolt Daichi had wrapped his hands underneath his arms and hoisted him in alongside him. "Now get searching. Nirvana has limited access." He pawed through the food, stuffing his large pockets with greasy burgers that had been deemed unsellable but were still edible. Tobio was less liberal with his choosing. The sight of the hawks tearing small animals apart like cotton candy had stuck with him and the thought of eating meat made his stomach toss. There were a few salads with expired dressing packs and wilted lettuce that he hoped would hold him over until their next meal. And for dessert, three partially smooshed apple pies. 

They scarfed down their haul in the comfort of the rusty metal bin. The sun shone down directly onto them, warming their skin. They allowed themselves the luxury of releasing their wings only slightly and feeling the light against their feathers. It was amazing how much better Tobio felt after eating. He watched Daichi polish off his fifth or sixth burger and reach for the next. He wanted to let him sit and eat his fill in silence but he could't ignore the burning question in his chest. "We've gotta go and get him, don't we? Koushi? Or should we go and get Shoyo without him?"

"We'll have to search the area. I can't imagine he's gotten far, especially since he was supposed to meet us at the crater. Besides, just the two of us will not be able to get into The Lab and bust out alive." Daichi rose to his full height, brushing bits off old food off of his jeans as he crawled out of the dumpster. "Do you need help getting out?" Tobio shook his head furiously. He was 11, for crying out loud. He had fought off Erasers yesterday, he could climb out of a dumpster by himself.

But the ground looked much farther away than when he had climbed in. He crawled onto the lid and scooted until he was barely hanging on and dropped. He refused to let the pain that jarred through his ankles upon landing. "Do you remember where he left us?"

"Yes."

"So we should start there?"

"No. It was closer to the end of town, we should just walk through and see if we find him." Tobio didn't know what Daichi expected to see. Koushi running towards them? Standing in the middle of town waving his arms to get their attention? Or was he expected to find the silver haired boy's body, crumpled and-

He shook that thought out of his head. Daichi was older and smarter, and he truly trusted him. They walked several blocks before looping back to their starting point and heading in the other direction. They repeated this process, going East and then West. Finally they continued West until they reached a small park near the edge of town. It was completely empty at this time, but they knew that the second school let out it would once again be swarmed with people. "There's no way he came through here, we should try and make it to the other side of town. You holding up okay?"

He nodded. His feet hurt and his legs were getting heavy from all the walking. He wished they could search for Koushi from the air, but Daichi had made it very clear how bad of an idea that would be. If someone happened to see them they would be absolute toast. "Koushi isn't the type of guy to crash land and hurt himself. If he's late because he's hurt, then someone hurt him. And it's pretty likely that that person knows about him. We can't let them know that there are more of us." It was shocking to hear, but he understood. Shoyo had already been taken away, which meant at least The Lab was still aware of their existence. If someone were to report them The Lab might come back after them and take them back. Or worse, kill them so no one would ever find out about them again.

Though, in his opinion, Koushi was more important than Shoyo. Sure he was his best friend in the entire world, and he loved him very much. But Koushi was the leader. Asahi could be enforcing, but often cracked under pressure. Daichi was caring, but he lacked the tenderness and motherly instincts Koushi had. They would be able to run the Flock just fine, but not the way Koushi could. It made him feel guilty to even think it, but it was absolutely true. But Koushi had taught him to think before he spoke, so he picked anything else to focus on so the incredibly rude observation wouldn't slip out. They were walking along the road leading out of Kusatsu now, several large trucks hauling various loads passing them by. He watched as one particularly fast one zipped past and veered off onto another exit. The sign above it gradually came into view and his heart nearly leapt out of his chest.

**TSUMAGOI: 10 MILES**

Wordlessly he broke into a run, crossing the road with reckless abandon. Daichi barely had time to react before another large truck rushed passed, allowing Tobio to gain more distance. Once the path cleared he could see the small boy leap into the air and snap out his wings. "Tobio! What the Hell are you doing?! Get back here!" He called from the ground. He couldn't risk taking off from here, not out in the open. Tobio rolled over so he could face Daichi. "Tsumagoi! The files, my parents! I have to go and you can't stop me!"

"What?! No! Come on, come back here! We have to find Koushi." Tobio's lips pressed together into a tight line. He swiped an arm over his eyes, wiping away budding tears. In 11 years of life, he had never been this close to finding out who he was and where he came from. Besides, if Koushi was gone, he was going to need someone to care for him. He pushed his wings hard and carried himself higher before pivoting back in the direction of Tsumagoi.

* * *

His body flopped uselessly into his crate, wincing at the loud clang of door slamming shut. They had tossed him in so he was on his back with the head near the front. If he mustered up the strength to roll over he could just barely see the two boys just across the way. It was a small relief to see the other boy had been returned as well, if only momentarily. The two were curled around each other in what seemed to be a clumsy attempt at a hug. They had grown accustomed to him in the few hours he had actually been allowed to rest and would think encouraging thoughts for him to pick up.

_Rest rest new boy sleep sleep rest_

As bad as he wanted to doze off and regain some of the energy the tests had sapped from him he felt as if he had to stay diligent. Koushi and the others would be there any moment and he didn't want to be dead weight. He had been dead weight when the Erasers had come for him the first time and now look at him. Bruises mottled his arms and legs and a small burn decorated his temple where they had plugged in the electrode. They had given him water after each test, but failed to provide him with any food. His stomach groaned and turned in protest, hunger pangs wracking his small frame.

The sound of the door creaking open and patent leather shoes squeaking across the floor towards him shook him out of his daze. They couldn't be back for him already, could they? He could barely move, let alone put up a fight. The shoes stopped right outside of his cage. The panic in his chest bubbled to a boiling point. He tried to detect the thoughts but his head was too foggy.

Big yellow eyes peered into the cage. They were cat like in shape and wide with curiosity. He looked too young to be a scientist, maybe only 13 or 14. Nimble fingers wrapped around the bars and the slender face framed with thick strands of blond hair pushed closer. His lips parted and revealed the tips of knife sharp canines. "Hello. Are you awake?" It took him a moment for it all to click. Shoyo had seen this face before. Nearly 24 hours ago, stalking towards him as he tried to escape the strawberry fields. This boy was an Eraser. 

He forced himself to roll onto his haunches and smooshed back against the corner of his cage, ignoring the shrieking pain in his muscles. The Eraser plopped down in front of him, knees pulled against his chest and chin resting on his arms. "I'll take that as a yes." Shoyo tried to shake the fuzz from his brain to try and pick the blond's. Why was he here? To tease him, like a cat playing with it's prey before mauling it? To tell him that the others weren't coming because they had already taken care of them? "You..." His head tilted. "You seem so much smaller than before." 

"W-w-what do you mean?" Shoyo croaked. The boy before him was not as intimidating as the other Erasers. His small stature paled against Testuro's lanky form. Even his hands seemed soft and smooth, like they hadn't done an ounce of hard work in his life. He shrugged. When Shoyo attempted to read his thoughts, nothing came to fruition. Not that his head was completely empty, it was just that no thoughts of importance really stood out. Nothing about the Flock or tests. Just questions about himself. 

"Are you scared of me?" Those large eyes didn't miss a thing. "What tipped you off? The trying to get away? Or was it the stuttering?" His hands trembled and his wings twitched. "What do you want from me?" 

"To talk." Shoyo's eyes narrowed. Why would a blood thirsty beast genetically created to tear him to shreds be interested in talking? "Oh yeah? What do you want to talk about?" Slim fingers tapped against the linoleum in thought. "Uh...played any good video games recently?" 

The last video game Shoyo had played was the original Pokemon Red on the original console. He had almost beat the game before Yuu had pillaged it for parts. That was nearly four years ago. He figured that that little anecdote would just bore the other boy. "Not really. Is that all?" The Eraser was clearly struggling to come up with another conversation topic. When you're a genetically twisted freak that can shift between teenage boy and a monster you most likely didn't get many chances at social interaction. "Uh...how about-"

"I got something to ask you. Tell me why you really came in here. What you _really_ want to say." Yellow eyes flicked nervously over him. 

"How did you-"

"They should have told you about my power before they let you in. I can read minds, you know."

"They didn't let me in. I'm not supposed to be in here."

"Then why would you come?"

The boy hesitates, then lets out a heavy sigh. "To warn you." Shoyo couldn't help but gasp. All the confidence he had gathered up was draining from him just as quickly as he had found it. "Wa-warn me about what?" His voice came out as a shuddering whisper. The Eraser moved even closer and practically pressed his face to the mesh door. "The next test. It's another maze, but they're going to put one of us in there with you. See how strong you really are."

Shoyo felt his entire being collapsing in on itself. He could out run one, but he would never be able to fight an Eraser on his own. Unless the Eraser in the maze was the one in front of him, but there were so many others they could choose from. Heck, the werecats weren't even their only model. He could end up in there with something much worse.

"Please don't cry." Fingers flew up to swipe away the tears from his cheek he had no idea where falling. "Wh-why..." He choked. "Why are you telling me this?" The latch clicked open and the Eraser filled the space to ensure that he wouldn't be able to bolt. He wasn't sure if he had the fight left in him to try anyways. A light touch brushed over his knee. Their eyes met. There was nothing but sympathy in those wide yellow eyes. "Because I don't want to see anyone else hurt." 

The door slammed open at the other end of the room. The Eraser's blunt nails dug into Shoyo's skin and left angry red scratches as he rushed to retreat and relatch the cage. "Kozume? What are you doing in here?" 

"S-sorry, Sir. I was just....just looking at the new specimen. I was just leaving." Immediately Kozume was on his feet and scurrying away. He managed to flash one last look at Shoyo before disappearing. Shoyo was too shocked to move. Not only from the prospect of having to 1v1 a full grown Eraser, but the voice who had interrupted their conversation. It sounded familiar, but only as if he had heard it in a dream. Once again a pair of shoes squeaked across the floor and came to a stop outside his cage. He tried desperately to search for thoughts, but nothing came. The man bent down so they were face to face. A face he had seen before, a very very long time ago. 

"Hello Shoyo. I've missed you." Takeda Ittetsu said. 

* * *

"We'll be pretty safe if we stay quiet." Yuu leaned into the fingers brushing through his hair. He could hear bustling from afar, just out of reach of their hiding spot at the top of a cliff. Twigs and pebbles dug into his palm and he couldn't help but tap his feet against the nearest surface. Judging by the texture and sound of the thumps, it was most likely Ryuu's thigh. "Can you tell me what's going on?"

"We can see the house from here." Asahi murmured. "There are Erasers crawling all over it. They might be looking for us."

"What's our plan of action?" They hadn't thought of the consequences of bombing the Erasers when they had concocted the plan, only that they wanted to make them pay in any way possible. Now they had seemingly lost access to their house and all of their belongings, which they would need if they were going to survive. For the moment, they seemed all dressed up with no where to go. Yuu's stomach grumbled loudly, a little too loudly for comfort. 

"Me too, buddy." Ryuunosuke let out a troubled sigh. "If we stick around here, we'll die. But we can't just up and leave without any supplies."

"So what are we gonna do?" 

"Well....I have an idea. Koushi would kill us if he finds out, but I think it'll work." Yuu smiled. "Those are my favorite kinds of ideas. So what's the plan?" He heard clothe shuffling closer and Ryuu's warm breath against his ear. "Asahi and I will use our special skills to bust past the Erasers and into the house. Then once we're clear we bolt like bats out of Hell and try to meet up with the others. Like I said, Koushi won't like that we left, but I think he'll understand." 

"I like it. Sounds like it could work." Asahi said. 

"What about me? What do I do?" 

"It would be best for you to wait up here. Even though you know the house, it's literally swarming with Erasers. It would be safer for you to remain out of sight in an area with open sky. Stay here and listen for a signal to up and away."

"What's the signal?" Asahi's rough hand brushed his cheek softly. "You'll know. We won't leave without you." Another hand, Ryuu's, ran through his hair. "Anything you want us to grab for you while we're in there? We're gonna need to get clothes and all the food we can. Do you want any of your books? Any tools?" He perked up at that.

"My lock picking kit? If you can find it." 

"Alright Yuu. We'll get those for you. Remember to listen for the signal." Leaves and twigs crunched quietly as the two rose to their feet and crept away. He sat in silence for what felt like forever, his only company the sounds of the forest around him.

He rarely felt helpless. In fact, he hadn't felt that way since his time at The Lab. Since the first time they had experimented on his eyes and left him to rot after their failures. Sitting by himself while the only two people he had left in the world went head to head with bloodthirsty killers, he felt pretty damn vulnerable. He wrapped his wings around himself like a thick comfort blanket, prepared to launch at the first sound of distress. 

Twigs snapped behind his left side. The foot falls were heavy, not like someone sneaking around, but someone deliberately searching. He moved from sitting into a crouching position. The footsteps were coming closer, crushing underbrush and tearing down tree limbs without a care in the world. Fingers dug into the Earth. "Anyone out here?" The voice wasn't gruff, but stern. Like Daichi, but higher pitched. They grow closer and closer until they finally stop. A sharp intake of breath. They must've stopped just in front of him. "What the Hell..?"

Were they a hiker? An Eraser? He would recognize the Flock's voices, so he's positive it's not one of them. He extended his wings slowly and scrunched his face into what he was an intimidating glower. "Don't come any closer if you want to live."

"Lucky for me, I don't have to come any closer."  

A low chuckle filled his ears, followed by the rustle of skin on clothe and the cocking of a gun. He couldn't see it but his skin prickled and he just  _knew_ that the barrel of that gun was aimed at him. _Shit._

One of the perks of being blind was the ability to remain calm in the face of danger. You can't flinch if you are unable to see whatever it is trying to kill you. This little upside allowed him to maintain his intimidating facade. "You won't shoot, The Lab would have your hide."

"Didn't you hear? Lab only wants the little one. We have direct orders to handle the rest of your freak flock as we see fit." His feathers bristled at the word  _freak._ It had been lobbed at him so many times in such a short time, and it seemed like even the cat mutant hitmen believed they were God's mistakes. The fingers he had dug into the ground clenched into a tight fist. Yuu could feel bits of stone bite into his palm. Perfect. 

He rose to his full height. It wasn't much, but the wings hopefully added to it. Another chuckle. "It's cute how a shorty like you is trying to scare me." 

"A jab at my height? Am I sensing some insecurities?" The Eraser let out an indignant snort. "I'm still taller than you. But you wouldn't know that, would you?" So he had been found out. He had been told that his eyes were glassy and lifeless, but you would have to concentrate incredibly hard on them to be able to tell. Now that his blindness was revealed, this next step would have to be planned out perfectly.

He surged forward, wings pushing forward in a powerful flap that lifted him off the ground momentarily. The sensitive tips of his large primary feathers encased the Eraser's upper body. In an instant he was able to create a fuzzy map of the man in front of him. He was taller, but only by a couple inches. His feet touched down and he leaned into the descent, releasing the handful of dirt and stones into his face and following up with a swift punch to the throat. A choked sound of surprise alerted him that he had at the very least had some affect. 

To top it off, he jerked his leg up and snapped it into his chest. The satisfying sound of a scream being punched from his throat, gradually growing fainter and fainter as the Eraser tumbled back down through the forests. He couldn't believe he had pulled it off! But he knew that if one had stumbled upon him, more could follow. Especially after that little tumble. He wasted no time flying to the tallest branch he could find and perching. Now to wait for the signal.

* * *

"Remind me what we're looking for?" 

"The files he took with him. If he hadn't asked for them back, then we could have torched this place. Hopefully with those freaks inside." 

"You're kind of messed up Taketora." A loud cackle filled the air, followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the ground. Ryuu flinched, Asahi's large hand curling around his shoulder. He pressed his finger to his lips, then to his room across the hall. The faster they managed to grab what they needed and get the Hell out of here, the better. As long as the Erasers stayed in Takeda's old office at the end of the hall, this could all go off without a hitch. The fact that Koushi had most likely taken those files with him when they left helped tremendously. 

Ryuu slunk across the hall, pausing momentarily outside his room when another cackle tore through the air. He didn't hesitate to throw open the door and roll inside. In that instant he wished he had taken Koushi seriously when he told him to keep his room tidy. Getting clothes would be easy seeing as they littered the entire floor. Among the mess he couldn't find the lock picking kit. 

He poked his head out. Across the hall Asahi was just finishing up. His and Daichi's shared bedroom was practically spotless. Anything he needed to find would have been right out in plain sight for him to grab, of course he finished first. "I'm gonna head down to the kitchen. Did you grab everything?" Ryuu shook his head. "Alright. Check Koushi's room to see if you can find anything. And if it's not in there-" His gaze flitted to Shoyo and Tobio's room at the end of the hall, only a few feet from the office. "Maybe you should just leave without it. Got it?" 

"But Yuu-"

"Yuu will understand. I hope." Heavy footsteps sounded in the office. They sounded as if they were coming closer. Asahi frantically motioned for Ryuunosuke to retreat. He ducked down the stairs, vanishing into the wallpaper and moving silently like the breeze through the house. Ryuu waited until the soft footsteps disappeared completely before skittering across the hall and into Koushi's room. If anyone in this house had Yuu's lock picking kit it would be him. Plus his window was right over the canyon. If he needed a quick escape he had one. 

The room was not nearly as immaculate as Asahi and Daichi's, but it was still fairly clean. Okay. He had to rationalize this. If Koushi had taken the kit, he took it for a reason. That reason, of course, being that he didn't want Yuu to have it. If Yuu had it then he would use it to pick locks. Logically, in The Lab there would be things that were locked that they needed unlocked. Things like doors and cages and filing cabinets. Or closets. Closets were perfect for hiding things you didn't want people to see. He jiggled the door knob. Just as he suspected. Locked. An evil grin spread across his face. He supposed that you didn't always need a lock picking kit to open the door. 

The sound of shattering wood was louder than he thought it would be. All noise from down the hall ceased.  _Shit shit shit shit shit._ He had to hurry. He tore the remaining wood from the frame and began rustling through the mess of clothing and shoes. Why the hell did Koushi have so many shoes? Footsteps were coming closer and closer and he knew that his options were dwindling with each step. Fight or flight was all he had left. Given his position, half wedge into a broken closet door, he really didn't gain the upper hand with either. 

The footsteps come to a stop right outside. The door knob twists and-

"All units respond! I found one of the avian recombinants about 40 yards from the house! Subject 4, blind but still dangerous!" A frantic voice crackled through the radio. The Erasers groaned. "Yaku, this is Yamamoto responding. I'll send Shohei to your location for backup. Copy?" The radio chirped out a noise of confirmation. "Alright, you heard him. Go. I can keep looking for those damn files downstairs."

"What do we do about Subject 4 if we catch him?"

"What you were made to do! Erase him!" His let out his signature cackle and the two of them retreated. Ryuu breathed a heavy sigh of relief. In his heart he believed they wouldn't be able to catch Yuu. But there was still a part of him that knew the chances of him being caught off guard by an ambush. He had to hurry. If Asahi grabbed what he needed and got out soon they could get up and away before that happened. 

Koushi liked to think he was smarter than the others. The kit was tucked in a cardboard box full of baby clothes that Shoyo and Tobio had outgrown years ago but were kept around for sentimental value. For whatever reason he had lived under the assumption that Ryuu would never even think of touching the box, let alone digging through it. Koushi, for once, was wrong. He officially had everything he came for. 

He perched at the foot of the stairs. He could see the Eraser, Taketora, tearing through their living room like a bat from Hell. Asahi was no where to be seen. That didn't instill the horrible panicked feeling in his stomach that it usually did. It just meant he was doing his job perfectly. All he could do was hope that he had grabbed enough food to last them. A low whistle left his lips. To an outsider, it was any normal mountain bird singing its care free song. To the Flock, it was a sign. Thick locks of brunette hair faded into view followed by wide eyes. He gave a curt nod. 

"Arrghh!! Where the fuck could they have stashed them?!" The sound of shattering glass made the two of them flinch. They had to go now before the Erasers temper became too much to escape. Asahi rushed up the stairs as stealthily as he could manage, cringing every time something in his pack shifted. "Did you get it all?"

"I think so. All the nonperishables, at least. That big slamming noise...you didn't...."

"I did what I had to do. Come on, we have to hurry."

"All units respond, we have relocated Subject 4! Haiba, Yamamoto! Send your teams to my location ASAP!" Asahi froze. "Subject 4? That's-" Ryuunosuke nodded. "That's why we have to hurry."

"Alright Yaku. I'm gonna do one last sweep of the house and then I'll group up. After I torch this place." Heavy footfalls trudged towards them once more. Ryuu wrapped a hand around Asahi's thick wrist and tugged him into Koushi's room. They had run out of choices. They needed to get back to Yuu and get the hell out of Dodge. Just as Asahi threw open the large window, the sound of shattering wood punctured the air once more. "Hey Yaku. I'm gonna be a little late. Subjects 3 and 5 have been located."

* * *

_The door creaked open slowly. The small boy flinched instinctively at the sound of new leather shoes squeaking across the freshly cleaned linoleum floor, wings pulling tighter against his back. It couldn't be time for more testing, he had already endured nearly 9 full hours of it today. But it wouldn't be the first time they had done this to him. The shoes come to a halt outside his cage and a familiar face stooped down to greet him. "Hi there. I need you to come with me, okay?" Large calloused hands reached into the cage and pulled him out softly. Despite the fear that came with exiting the safe space that was the cage, he felt calm._

_The two of them walked hand in hand down a long white hallway to a room he had never seen before. The Whitecoats inside were also different. Usually when he entered a room he was swarmed with people with syringes for taking blood or introducing something new into his bloodstream or taping electrodes to his temples to measure the panic in his brain before conducting whatever terrible tests they had in store on him._

_Instead, these Whitecoats had their attention on something else entirely. They moved like a hive mind from one task to the other, clumped too tightly for him to peek through at what they were attending to. Takeda cleared his throat loudly and they all came to a dead stop. "How far are you with prep? They have a curious little visitor."_

_"Almost, sir. Just a few more shots and they should be ready. Have the subject take a seat, this could take a while." Takeda led him to the biggest chair he had ever sat in, so big that his legs dangled over the edge and high off the floor. Takeda sat next to him, flipping through two thick packets full of big words that he couldn't understand. If he wasn't curious before, he certainly was now. Time seemed to drag on forever before a Whitecoat finally approached them. Takeda smiled and took his hand once more. "Ready to meet your new brother and sister?"_

_His heart was racing as Whitecoats parted like a sea before him. Side by side in identical plastic beds lay two tiny forms. Babies. Babies with little fleshy nubs protruding from their backs like uncooked chicken wings. That's what they had to be. Little juvenile wings, not quite feathered yet. They were young, but they were certainly not newborns. "Koushi, meet Subjects 9-" he pointed to the larger one with small tufts of black hair and and unsettling stare "-and 10." He pointed to the smaller one. Koushi stood on his tiptoes to get a closer look at the babies. Takeda had called them his new brother and sister. He had never called the other subjects that before. "Can I hold one?"_

_"Maybe another time, buddy. They're probably really tired and overwhelmed. Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to get to know them soon enough." There is something hidden in his smile. Something a five year old would never be able to sense. He would know in time. They all would._

The scariest part about waking up in a strange place was definitely the rush of new surroundings flooding a brain that hadn't entirely woken up. An excited ball of orange floof barreling directly onto his chest had to be a close second though. "Kou-chan! Kou-chan! Wake up wake up!" The small weight on his chest felt like a thousand pounds. His damaged arm and wing ached like they were being pulled off his body by a purebred stallion. It reminded him of the time he had dislocated his shoulder while sparring with Daichi and Asahi. He had tried so hard not to cry, staggering around and clutching his shoulder. Takeda had done his best to calm him down and take his mind off it. And when he had least expected it he had simply popped it back into place. "Wake up!" Little hands patted as hard as she could on his chest and face.

"Good morning to you too, Natsu. What's up?"

"Nee-chan made pancakes! And little sausages, and fruit! And-" He gently lifted her from his chest and struggled into a sitting position. "Alright alright. Sounds good to me sweetie." 

"I'm glad to see you're up." A new voice called from the doorway. Instincts took over and he tightened his arms around the small girl and prepared to run. Saeko leaned against the doorframe, a good sized bundle in her hands. "Did you sleep well? Yesterday was a long day for all of us. Oh, here." She moved closer and skillfully replaced Natsu with the bundle. "It's probably the right size. Sorry about the color, it's one of my old ones." The bundle unfolded to reveal a light pink sweatshirt, complete with newly cut large slits in the back. "To make up for the one I had to cut off of you. It'll fit, right? I also washed your jeans. And like Natsu said I made breakfast." The little girl let out a cheer. 

Koushi didn't know what to say. He hadn't been treated this well since....well since Takeda was still alive. "Breakfast sounds awesome. Thank you so much, for everything." Saeko wrapped one arm around him for a quick hug. "Alrighty, I'll give you time to change. Don't take too long, it'll get cold."

Natsu hadn't exaggerated. The spread was impressive, with all the goodies the young girl had described. Saeko had already loaded a plate up for him, heaping piles of freshly sliced fruit and fluffy pancakes covered in thick syrup. She was in the process of squeezing in a few more breakfast sausages. He hadn't had a home cooked breakfast this extravagant in ages. It was leagues better than a hotdog fresh from the bag. "I'll have to take Natsu to daycare soon, and when I get back we can talk some more. How does that sound?"

He found himself fantasizing about letting himself be vulnerable in front of Saeko. Venting all of his problems and finally having someone listen. Someone who wasn't practically family. Although he loved that idea as well. Coming back here after saving Shoyo and keeping in touch with them. Maybe Shoyo would like playing with his little doppleganger. And maybe they could even spend weekends and holidays with Saeko's family. Like that would ever happen. "Yeah, sounds good."

He ate in silence for a long while. He couldn't remember the last time he had been alone in a house. Probably never. It was somehow soothing yet nerve racking at the same time. He actually felt a wave of relief when Saeko finally returned home. They made small talk as she gathered dishes. "So, what do you want to talk about? I know you gave me your given name, what about a last name?" Usually one needed a real family to have a family name. When he had turned 11 he asked Takeda about his name. He had hoped in his heart that he would just laugh and say "Takeda. Takeda Koushi." Instead he had allowed him the freedom to choose his own. He had debated choosing Takeda for himself.

"Sugawara. I don't exactly know my family tree, so I went with something common."

"Like Sugawara Sadatoshi, the volleyball player?"

"Exactly."

"Would it be rude to ask about....yknow?" 

"The wings? I don't know if I really want to get into those."

"That's okay. Is it okay if I ask if you can really fly with those?" He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Of course. You saw them, how huge they are. Plus my bones are light and thin, like a real bird. Plus I have extra muscles, and my heart beats much faster than a normal human." Ah yes. Old Steel Trap Koushi. Good luck getting information out of him. "Are there any downsides to your...situation?" 

Well,  _duh._ His fingers tapped against the table in thought. If he was gonna spill the beans, he might as well spill big. "I'm not sure where to start. The injuries you patched up last night were mostly from on of those downsides. Feline recombinants made in the same lab as me. As...as us. I was actually heading back there when I made a detour. Natsu looks just like one of my....brothers."

_Tap_

_Tap_

_Tap_

"Do you mind if I ask you something, Saeko?" The woman nodded. "Is Natsu your daughter?" The resemblance was uncanny. It couldn't be a coincidence. Even if it was unrealistic to think about visiting every once in a while, if he could find even one of his boys' real families it would be wrong of him to keep them from each other. "Unfortunately not." Well there goes that plan. "She's a coworker's kid. It's actually a long story."

"I've got the time, if you don't mind." Saeko sighed. Poured herself a fresh cup of coffee and slumped against the kitchen counter. "Hinata Hikari is....was...my boss. She hand picked me from all of the people who applied and hired me to be her personal assistant. I'm still not sure why, honestly. When I started I wasn't all that good at what I did. I would mix up meds, my sutures were all over the place. Hikari really helped me during the 6 months I worked for her. Without her help I would have never been able to help you last night. She was...." Another heavy sigh passed her lips. "She was amazing. I'm not really close with my biological family, and she really took me in. And that's when I got to meet Natsu."

The smile on her face said it all. She took a long sip of her coffee before continuing. "I loved Natsu like she was my own little sister. Like I said, I'm not close to my family. When I was younger I had a baby brother. And one day out of the blue he was just gone. I was only about 9 or 10, but I felt like something was wrong. We had been struggling financially for a long time, and all of a sudden we had enough to afford a long, expensive vacation to America and I didn't have a baby brother anymore. For a long time I felt like a part of me was missing because of it. Natsu and her mother filled that." Suspicion fizzed in Koushi's gut. That story sounded too similar to ones he knew far too well at such a young age. Though he couldn't be certain.

"About 7 months ago, something happened. Our veterinary hospital gets a lot of our fundings from a laboratory near here. Hikari was going to a conference with them for a few days and asked me to take care of Natsu. She never came back." Another long, long sip. At this point she had completely drained her cup, but it didn't seem like she cared. "The worst part of it all is that no one at the hospital seems to care. They just assigned me to a new vet like she was never even there. Yesterday when that man took Natsu, I was so scared that I had not only lost all the family I had left, but that I had let Hikari down. I'm very grateful for what you did, and if there is anything I can do to help you out, I want to."

Koushi thought long and hard. There was very little that he knew about the Flock's home life, but he had a gut feeling that Hinata Hikari was Shoyo's biological mother. The thought of leaving Shoyo here with Saeko still blossomed in the back of his mind, but he knew that it would't be fair to either of them. Saeko might not be able to support both Natsu and a growing bird mutant boy, and Shoyo had already gone through so much in the past 24 hours that suddenly revealing his real identity to him and leaving him with a complete stranger, even if she would love him like he already did, maybe even more. A part of him even considered trying to find Hikari. But he knew that she had suffered Takeda's fate and there was nothing he could do about it. 

"You've done enough, really. I actually have some friends waiting for me nearby, i should probably go to meet them soon."  _Before they decide to hunt me down and personally kill me._

"Do you need a ride there?" 

"No. I, uh, I need to fly to meet them. But I don't think I can fly quite yet." Saeko shook her head. Her forehead creased with thought. "No, probably not. The only way to know for sure is to give you an X-ray." He blinked, confused. "Do you have x-ray vision?" A peal of much needed laughter burst from her lips and broke the tension. She ran her fingers through her thick blond mop. "Sadly, no. Not all of us have superpowers, you know. But a lucky few of us have easy access to the tech we need. Come on, I'll drive."

He thought it would be easy. He felt unnaturally relaxed the entire car ride over, despite Saeko's erratic and somewhat dangerous driving. He felt calm as they approached the building, even sparing a wave at a passing dog being led back to it's owners car. It wasn't until they reached the front desk did the panic settle into his stomach and the need to flee hit him like a bus. "Hey Kaori! This is my neighbor's son, he's thinking about applying here! I told him I'd show him around, let him get the feel for it, m'kay?"

The smell is what gets to him first. The sterile scent of cleaner, the same brand they used in cages when cleaning day finally rolled around partnered with whimpers and yowls of terrified animals. He wrapped his arms around himself and dug his fingers into the soft fabric of his new sweatshirt. They round a corner and his heart nearly stops. They are face to face with a man in a pristine white coat. He struggled to keep the fear from creeping over him and consuming him whole. Judging from the look on Saeko's face, he had failed. "And right over here is where we do the x-rays."

The two of them ducked into the room, Saeko locking the door behind them. "Koushi, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." 

"Only the ghost of a memory." He chuckled dryly. "It's this place. It's just too much like the Lab, I don't know why. And then the guy with the white coat... I just need to get out of here." His eyes flicked over the room for a window. No such luck, only heavy machinery and a table. "Hey hey hey. You're safe here, I promise. We're gonna take a quick x-ray of your wing and arm and then we can go back home. Okay? Do you think you can make it?" A deep breath in. Out. In and out again. "I'll try."

Saeko helped him onto the examination table, checking to make sure he wasn't wearing any jewelry before beginning the process. It barely even took 10 minutes to complete, and soon the two of them were reviewing the photos together. "So the bone here in your wing is completely fine. All muscle damage. You can see damaged tissue here and here. I'm surprised, actually. Your bones are so thin and light, even the ones in the human portion of your frame. You must have been really lucky to have the bullet miss completely. Now to your arm. It's the same thing here, just muscle damage. Usually muscle damage takes a long time to heal, but at this rate you'll probably be in top shape tomorrow or the day after." 

One of the few benefits of being a bird mutant. Something the Whitecoats at the Lab had often delighted in. They could bring their subjects to the literal breaking point and in a few days they would be good as new and ready for more rough testing. "You're skeletal structure is really amazing. You'd think that it would look forced and choppy, but they're seamless! And over here-!" She dropped off as she shifted to the arm once more. Her manicured nail landed on a small white square, about the size of her thumb right in the middle of his forearm. "What on Earth is this? Is it the bullet? It can't be, it's too low. Jewelry?"

"I wasn't wearing any." The look on Saeko's face is unnerving. Her voice is hushed and wavering. "Well, it's a....I mean it looks like....like one of the things we put in some of our patients. Show dogs and stuff so they can be tracked if they get stolen or lost. Koushi, I think this is a microchip." The look of growing horror on his face alarmed her as well. "It could totally be something else, though! It just looks like one!" 

"Take it out." She can barely hear him over the murmur of the machine. "Koushi-"

"Take it out! Please, right now! Please." He croaked. There was a slight tremor in his hands as he pulled up his sleeve and offered his arm. "Koushi, I can't do that. I'm not even qualified to do that procedure on animals, let alone humans! Besides, it looks like it was put in at a young age, when your arm was much smaller. All the nerves and muscle and blood vessels have grown over it! You could lose the use of your arm." His arm flopped back to his side hopelessly. He didn't know why he was surprised. Those demonic scientists from the Lab would manage to find a way to screw him over after seven long years of peace.They had been doing so for the past two days. First taking Shoyo, now this, and who knows what else. 

"Can you please just take me back home? The sooner I heal and get back to my Flock, the better." Saeko threw her arms around him, careful to avoid his injuries. "I'm so sorry, Koushi. I'm so so sorry. I wish I could do this for you, I really do." 

"It's fine." Fat tears rolled down his cheeks. He felt like death all over again.

* * *

 

Daichi touched down in Tsumagoi and broke into a run. How had someone so small moved so fast that he had managed to lose him in a matter of minutes? "Tobio? Tobio, where are you?" This town was strange, full of winding roads and houses that all seemed to meld together the more he passed them. The eerie stillness of mid morning made everything so much worse. It was practically a ghost town and he _still_ couldn't find a single child with wings. This must have been how the Whitecoats felt when they had escaped.

While Tobio is fast in the sky, on land he's all gangly legs, like a newborn foal. He was fast sure, but puberty was hitting him hard. He caught up to him as he rounded a corner, clearly too deep in thought to care that he had been caught. "Can we at least stop and talk about this?"

"We already have." Tsumagoi wasn't a particularly big town, but it was larger than they were used to. "Do you even know where you're going?" Tobio stopped dead for a second, head whipping back and forth. Then without a word he darted off in a new direction. Daichi let out an exasperated groan before chasing after him once more. Of course he would have memorized it in such a short time. That seemed to be his own personal superpower. He grimaced at the thought of all the embarrassing things Tobio had seen him do and heard him say that he would most likely remember until the end of the world.

The houses began thinning out as they go, more and more space between them with the roads becoming less well kept. They reach a point where the road is little more than dirt and pebbles. A few more paces and they are stopped by a rickety wooden fence that stretches for miles in either direction. Just beyond it is by far the biggest house in town. Even from here, it looks like it hasn't been lived in for years. "Tobio..."

"This is it. This is the address. I'm going in." He gave a curt nod, as if convincing himself once and for all that this is what he wanted to do. He crouched low before springing up and hoisting himself over the gate. "Hey! Young man, that is illegal!"

"My existence is illegal." Of course he wouldn't stop in consideration for the rules. His parents could be just yards away from him, nothing could stop him. In that sense, nothing could stop Daichi from making sure that idiot didn't get himself hurt.

The house looks worse up close. All of the shutters and curtains have been closed, visible layers of dust coating the steps that lead into the house. The lawn is slightly overgrown, and the car in the driveway looks as if it had grown roots and planted itself in the ground permanently. There are a few buckets of paint and spray cans laying close by. If someone did still live inside, maybe they were trying to spruce the place up. Or some delinquents had left their tagging supplies behind. The pair crouched behind the car and peered at the house.

"What if they moved? Or maybe you misread it and it turns out they aren't even related to you? Or-" he took a deep breath. He didn't even want to suggest it, but they had to accept reality. "Even if you weren't a test tube baby, there is a reason they gave you up. What if....what if they don't want you back?" The scowl on Tobio's face becomes even angrier. "Don't you think I thought of that? I still need to try. I need to know if...." His voice dropped off at the sound of the front door sliding open and wood creaking under the weight of footsteps.

The woman is tall. Long raven locks are twisted up into a messy bun, bangs rebelling against it and falling into piercing blue eyes that are rimmed with thin square glasses.Dark bags hang under her eyes, and her fingers and jeans are splattered with paint. Tobio's own eyes widen with shock. The tall woman pulls out a carton of cigarettes, placing one between her lips before pulling out a lighter and flicking the flame to life.

"She's-"

"She's perfect." His voice comes out as a hoarse whisper. His eyes sparkled with wonder as he watched the woman pull on her shoes and walk off the porch and round the come closer, veering off and turning to the backyard. Daichi wrapped his hand around Tobio's slim wrist to keep him from bolting after her in his stupor. He didn't understand how he could be so smitten. This woman hadn't done anything to indicate that she was his mother aside from her appearance. Besides, she didn't look to be the motherly type. Although, he didn't know what the "motherly type" would exactly entail. Putting sweets on the windowsill to cool? Hanging laundry? Nursing?

"I need to ask her. I have to ask-"

"Ask what? Did you lose a baby? About 11 years ago? That's not exactly appropriate to ask a stranger, you know?"

"Not to mention the breaking and entering." A new voice behind them said. Tobio jackknifed to his feet and spun to face the three Erasers. How had they come in without them noticing? Or the woman? Two of them were already transforming, the other stood over them with his arms crossed over his chest. Daichi's eyes narrowed and he growled. "Tetsuro."

"Tetsuro? As in 'Takeda Tetsuro'? But you-you were just my age!" It was true. When they had left the Lab, he was the tender age of 6 or 7. The passage of time would have left him at 14 at the most. He stood before them, looking nearly 18 or 19. A fully grown Eraser. He smiled, baring sharp teeth. "What did they do to you? I'm sorr-"

"I don't want your pity! I'm exactly where I want to be. And I have some news for you two. There's no use trying to run anymore, little birdies. Your little hideout in the mountains is nothing but ash and cinders. As for your pals....well lets just say there have been some unfortunate accidents. You two are the last on the list." Tears dripped down Tobio's cheek. Daichi leaned closer, thick arm crossing over his chest to protect him. "Pinwheel." 

Tetsuro's face twisted with confusion. The look of pure hurt Tobio shot at him almost made him lose every ounce of strength left in him.  _The Flock can't be dead, can they?_ "Right first." He was being so brave. Daichi couldn't be more proud.

"Count of three." Which translated roughly to  _count of one._ Tetsuro shoves Daichi hard enough that he loses his balance and slams back first into the car. "One." Tobio doesn't hesitate to lunge forward and barrel into the chest of the spiky haired brunette. He let out a grunt as he staggered back. In the next second, Tobio launched himself into the air at an angle so he flew sideways. Daichi caught his arms and swung him as hard as he could. Tobio's feet kicked out and caught Tetsuro in the neck, nearly knocking him off his feet. Another swing and he released his arms. Tobio snapped out his wings and beat them as hard as he could to stay airborne.

"You're DEAD freak!" Daichi snapped out his wings and barely managed to push off before Tetsuro grabbed his legs and hauled him back down. Once again he collided with the car, the back of his head slamming harshly against the hood. He slid to the ground with a pained groan and before he could push himself back up the second Eraser planted a heavy boot on his chest. Tetsuro descended upon him in a matter of seconds. He was punching hard over and over again. Blood erupted from his nose and dribbled down his chin and onto his neck. He let some of it collect in his mouth before spitting it into Tetsuro's face. The Eraser let out an angry scream and brought both fists down on his chest hard enough to knock all of the air from his lungs. Hard enough that he swears he feels something inside his chest crack. 

"Hey! Here kitty kitty!" Tetsuro's head snapped up just in time to catch the broadside of a full paint can swinging full force into his face. Tobio touched down and discarded the can, aiming it so it bowled over the second Eraser. Before Tetsuro could react he scooped up one of the spray cans released a thick coat of silver paint into his face. Daichi was on his feet and in the air faster than he had ever moved before and the raven haired boy followed his lead. He launched the now empty can at Tetsuro and stifled a giggle as it bounced of his head comically. "You're dead, you mutant freaks! Dead!" He fumbled with his blazer for a moment before whipping out a handgun. The bullet whizzed past Tobio's ear, only centimeters from a head on collision. 

The two didn't speak again until Tsumagoi was far behind them. "I'm sorry, Daichi. It's my fault you got hurt." Daichi let out a low chuckle and wiped some blood from his face. "Don't be stupid. You're just a kid, you did the best you could." 

"Can we just go home?" 

"You heard him, Tob. It burned down." He watches a tear slide down his cheek and fall the long long distance to the ground. "No. Our home with the hawks." 

The moment they touch down, they hear the distance putter of helicopter blades coming closer and closer. They duck into the cave and press as far back as they can, ignoring the few brave hawks that come to greet them and observe their strange behaviors. As time dragged on it became harder and harder not to think about what Tetsuro had said. Shoyo could be dead, that he understood. He was resilient as shit but he was still just a child. But Asahi, Yuu, and Ryuu? Even Koushi. He couldn't stand to think that because he hadn't gone after Koushi and forced him to stay on course that the entire Flock had been killed. Even after the threat had passed and they soared high above the crater with their new hawk friends, it plagued his mind. 

"What should we do for dinner? How about raw hare? Or maybe snake?" 

"Don't be gross, Daichi. Just because we have to live with the hawks doesn't mean we have eat like them!" They banked around each other, primary feathers brushing against each other as they spun. Then suddenly Daichi stilled. In the distance a cluster of shapes were moving towards them at rapid speed. "More hawks?" So Tobio had seen them too. They had to get out of the air. The closer they came the more evident it became that they were far to big to be hawks, or any bird he had ever seen before. And he had seen a large variety of birds.

 _Please don't be flying Erasers._ He found himself thinking as they shapes began to descend upon them. Would the Lab even make those? Could they? Guns and werecats they could outrun. The sky was the one place they were safe one hundred percent of the time. The Lab couldn't just take that away from them. 

Tobio let out an uncharacteristically excited yelp as the objects awkwardly collided with the lip of the cave in a flurry of dust and feathers. "You aren't dead!"

"Hello to you too, I guess." Ryuunosuke growled. He has three fresh claw marks across his face, which is currently being smushed into the rock by Yuu's weight. "Hi guys!" Asahi brushed dust from his pants and adjusted the large bag dangling from his shoulder. "Things got a little crazy back home, so we're joining the party. Is that alright with everyone?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am so encompassed in maximum ride that i typed Fang instead of Daichi for like a whole paragraph before i realized I had Fucked Up


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was only a matter of time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry i never update this but turns out im a L A Z Y P I E C E O F G A R B A G E

"I am in heaven." 

They had swung by a local mini mart before picking up Natsu and purchased all the ingredients to prepare chocolate chip cookies. The smell alone was enough to melt Koushi into a vulnerable winged puddle. He had probably eaten enough raw cookie dough to make a normal human sick, Natsu and Saeko unable to stop themselves from doing the same. If they got Shoyo back in one piece, he would have to teach him and Tobio how to make these. 

"Stop staring at them like that. A watched cookie never bakes. Although..." She crouched down so she was eye level with the window in the oven. "These are actually almost done!" The heavenly smell grew even stronger when she opened the oven and pulled the tray from the oven. He reached out to snatch one up only to have two tiny hands wrap around his wrist. "Wait! Too hot!" Natsu cried. Clearly Saeko had been teaching her the ins and outs of life very well. 

It was torture waiting for them to cool. But once they did there was nothing keeping him from plucking up the closest one and popping it into his mouth. For 16 years he had trained himself inside and out to be a cold, emotionless warrior who would give anything and everything to keep himself and his family from harm. He did in fact let out a pathetic whimper at the new sensations that came with his first ever homemade chocolate chip cookie. It tasted like home. 

"When do you think you'll be leaving?" Saeko asked him as they cleaned up their mess. He paused momentarily to think. "As soon as possible. I'd leave tomorrow if I could." 

"Well....you probably can. At the rate you've healed so far, I wouldn't be surprised if you were completely better by tomorrow afternoon." She let out a chuckle at the way his eyes lit up. "I'll check up on it in the morning, and if you're ready....." She paused. Reluctance danced over her face. "I'm sorry. I know you have to go, and it's only been a day, but I don't want you to go." She let out a dry chuckle. "I....I'm sorry. Do you think you could finish without me? I need a minute." Before he could answer she dropped her sponge into the soapy sink and turned on her heel. 

He found her on the back porch, blowing away the last few puffs of a cigarette. In the other hand she held a crumpled photo. "Saeko?"

"I know it's bad for me. Shit's addictive, though." 

"Are you okay?" She let out a sigh and stubbed the cigarette out on the bottom of her boot. "I'm just thinking. Like I said, I really don't want you to leave. Having you here is....well it's kinda what I think life would have been like if my brother was still here." Another sigh. "It's not that I don't love Natsu. Every single day I'm thankful I have her in my life. But ever since I was a kid, there's been a piece of me that feels incomplete. A piece of me that's always wanted him back." Without looking at him she extends her hand, offering the photo out to him. 

A little girl with short dark hair and a wide grin flashes a peace sigh at the camera. At her side in a stroller is a cooing baby that bares an incredible resemblance to his sister. Though, Koushi can't help but feel like he had seen this child before. "This is the only picture I have of us. My parents threw out all of his things after he disappeared. It was like he had stopped existing and they didn't even care." He stared at the photo. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the smiling children, frozen in time in one of their happiest moments. 

"What if....what if I could find him for you? And bring him back to you?" Saeko hesitated, then let out a loud peal of laughter. She turned and threw her arms around his neck, careful of his injuries. "Koushi, you are an actual angel."

"I'll do it. I really will, Saeko." She pulled away from the hug, a sad smile gracing her lips.

"I know you would. But you need to understand that it's been years since he disappeared. He probably doesn't even remember who his family is, if he's even alive. Besides, for all we know he's not even in Japan anymore. If the possibility of finding him even exists, it's so slim it's not even worth pursuing. Besides," she turned away from him once more, glancing at the vast sky overhead with a faint longing, "I'm happy with my life as it is. I don't think I'd change a thing." 

Koushi turned his gaze to the stars. He wished he could feel the same way.

Morning came quicker than expected. No matter how hard he willed the sun to dip back behind the mountains, his mutant powers hadn't developed to the point where he could effectively do that. 

Yet.

"Do you have to go?" Honey brown eyes peered up at him over the edge of the table. He offered Natsu a soft smile, picking idly at his fried eggs. How could he explain this to someone so young? So innocent? "Yeah, I do. Someone really important is counting on me to find him. I kept him waiting for a long time, so...." He trailed off at the sight of crystal like tears beading in the young girl's eyes. "Ah Natsu, please don't cry-"

"Don't go! Please please please!" The same begging tone she had used on Saeko when he had stumbled across them. Was that only two short days ago? How had he grown so attached to these people,  _this family_ , in two days? His free hand tightened into a fist in his lap and he drew his lips into a thin line. As much as he wanted to stay, the little girl that started this whole thing served as the perfect reminder of his true goal. Sunny orange curls framing wide brown eyes that mirrored Shoyo perfectly (That in itself was an entirely new mess to sort out). 

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I just can't stay anymore." 

Saeko helped him slip his backpack over his injured shoulder. The muscles were still taut, and they groaned in protest with every stretch. "I put a lot of snacks in there. I know you're gonna need them." 

"Thanks. I, uh...thanks. For everything."  

"No, thank you. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't stopped to help us." Natsu latched onto his leg and gave it a tight squeeze. Koushi bent down and brushed his fingers through her unruly curls. "I also put my number and address in there, just in case you ever need anything." He gave a curt nod. He knew he would most likely never need them again, but it wouldn't kill him to hold on to it, right? 

The three of them poured into the backyard, moving sluggishly as if they were trying to preserve the bittersweet feeling that hung in the air around them. The sunshine feels amazing on his skin. He doesn't snap his wings out with the same urgency he usually did, taking his time unfurling muscle by muscle. The strain is almost too much, but he can't put this off any longer. 

Natsu let out a soft gasp, little fingers running over the low hanging tips of the largest feathers. "So pretty!" A small smile slipped onto Koushi's lips. He supposed they were rather pretty, a stunning fourteen feet across, pale silver like a dove's. Though seeing as he had lived his entire life looking at other people's wings, he had grown accustomed to how they looked. He couldn't even imagine how beautiful they must look to a four year old.    

He gave his wings a few slow pumps up and down, not enough force to lift himself but enough to work out the kinks in the muscles. There was nothing keeping him from taking off right now and seeing his family again. Nothing but himself. And yet....

"There's something I want to show you before I leave." He placed his hands on Saeko's shoulders. "Because of our wings we, my flock, we can't really hug like normal humans. So when we need to show affection or say goodbye....." It would be easier to just show her. He leaned forward, his forehead and the tip of his nose pressing against hers. The motion itself is simple, but it holds so much raw emotion. As he pulled away, he catches a small tear sliding down her cheek. He finds himself fighting back a few of his own. 

"Just in case I ever come back. Just in case I...." He trailed off. Something told him that she knew exactly what he meant. "Thank you, Koushi." 

He swallowed hard, taking a few big steps forward before breaking into a run. One hard push and his feet are already off the ground. Moments later he's soaring into the clear sky, sparing one glance back at the girls on the ground. Both of them stare up at him with awestruck eyes. Natsu's little hand waved up at him frantically. He smiled, then waved back before banking hard in the direction of Mt. Shirane. The strain on his injury still aches, but he'll be able to endure it for just a while longer. His flock still needed him.

"I'm on my way, Shoyo. I'm finally on my way."

The little town was much closer to their meeting place than he remembered. It was actually a little embarrassing that it had taken him this long to make his way back. The crater itself is beautiful. The wild flora and fauna, fresh air filling his lungs. It reminds him of home in so many ways. However, there is one way it differs from their little mountain home. It's absolutely empty. 

At first glance he thought maybe they were just hiding. After all, they never knew who would happen upon their meeting spot, and they could never be to careful. But when several minutes dragged by without a single word, he began to worry. Did he go to the wrong mountain? Or did they get lost along the way? Maybe they had gotten tired of waiting and had taken off without him. It was a likely possibility, they knew how important it was to get to Shoyo as soon as possible. But the thought still made his heart sink. 

He paused at the lip of a tiny cave, noting the abandoned wrappers and other bits of trash stashed in the farthest corner. They had made it here, that was for sure. But where did they go? A loud caw tore through the air, causing him to jump slightly. A large bird perched on a crag several fee away, feathers bristled. In a flash it took off, talons passing only inches over Koushi's head as it soared into the sky. He followed its graceful ascent into the sky where he joined several other hawks.

The flock flew in an tight circle, five of the larger ones breaking formation as soon as the other joined. They hovered for a moment before swooping down towards him. A large smile cracked across his face as he realized why these particular birds were so big and awkward looking. "Koushi's back!" Ryuu hollered, even though the other four had definitely already noticed them. Later he would sit down and really allow himself to be angry at the fact that Asahi, Yuu, and Ryuu were here in the first place, but in the moment he just couldn't bring himself to care. After their entire lives together, two short days apart from them felt like eternity times five. 

It's a flurry. Ryuu landed first, followed shortly by Tobio who had a firm grip on Yuu's wrist. Asahi was next, his landing ended up being a bit too close causing his wings to cuff the side of Koushi's head. His apology was quickly pushed aside by Daichi touching down, immediately grabbing their leader by the shoulders and pressing his forehead against his, albeit a bit rougher than usual. "You're late." 

"I know, I know. I'm sorry I left but I just had to check and-" Two fat tears rolled down his cheeks and his lungs burned. In all the excitement of reuniting he had forgotten that even avian mutants needed to breathe. "I didn't mean to take so long, and I'm sorry if I made you worry."

"It's okay. I only completely lost control once or twice. Nothing too major." Daichi's deep chuckle wrapped around the five of them, feeling more at home than he has in days. 

"As much as I'd love to play catch up," Asahi started, "we're all out here for a reason." He was right. As much as it pained him to think, the journey was far from over. Their reunion was still missing one very important factor. 

"Do you think you're up for the flight?" Daichi said. The others shot him nervous glances. The answer they wanted from his was apparent. And he couldn't just deny them what they wanted any longer. 

"I'm up for it if you are, old man." Koushi extended his left hand, balled into a fist. One by one the others stacked their own on top of his. "To Shoyo!" 

"To Shoyo!" 

One by one they rushed off of the cliff, feathers flying as the Flock took flight once more. In a few hours time, they would be face to face with their worst nightmare yet again. But this time, nothing was going to keep them from their goal. Not if Koushi could help it.

* * *

 The tamago gohan smelled delicious, but the smell of antiseptic and betrayal almost overpowered it. "It's your favorite, right Shoyo?" Takeda smiled down at him. He hadn't seen that smile in nearly seven years. It made his guts twist with distrust. Takeda reached into the pocket of his white lab coat and pulled out a water bottle which he placed gingerly next to the bowl. "You must be thirsty, right? I know they aren't giving you enough to sustain your metabolism. Especially not with all the hard work you're doing." 

The flock was going to be absolutely pissed when they got here. 

"I remember one time we had a barbecue for dinner. Everyone had three big plates of food except you. You had four and a half before I had to stop you. You were only four! See, at your age you need over 3000 calories per day. The other scientists just misunderstood, see? I'll make sure you get all the food you need from now on." He leaned forward, pushing the tray in far enough that the food was basically being held directly beneath his nose. Was this all a trap? 

 _Koushi_ was going to be pissed. He had always warned them about the cruel things the Lab would do to them. Hidden things in the food that made them dizzy or made their guts glow so they could examine them easier. Failed experiments would get meals laced with sedatives or poisons, or were withheld food altogether until nature took care of their failures for them. Takeda seemed to notice his hesitation, his kind smile faltering. 

"It's okay, Shoyo. Please eat, you'll feel so much better." Still he remained pressed against the back of his crate. "I know you're scared. I can't really explain everything right now. This," he gestured to their surroundings with a huge swooping motion, "is all a part of something bigger. You are a part of something bigger. Sometimes you just have to make it to the end before you find out what it was all for. Now please eat, I promise it's going to be okay." 

They sat in silence for what felt like ages. Finally Takeda let out a dejected sigh and retreated wordlessly. Shoyo waited until he heard the door slam shut, then a few more minutes until he was absolutely sure that he was completely gone before digging into the tamago gohan, bypassing the chopsticks he had been provided and simply shoving the food into his mouth in animalistic fashion. He couldn't remember being his hungry ever in his life. The food itself was fine, much better than the rations they had been giving him before. It tasted like something he hadn't felt in a long long time. It tasted like comfort. It tasted like home. 

He hoped the others would get here soon.

* * *

 "So," Koushi began, "give me the dirty details." 

They were well on their way to the Lab. It was still a long journey to Marumori, and all the delays certainly hadn't helped them. For the first time since this whole thing started, the wind was at their backs, currents pushing them further faster than before. If they just kept at it they could be there before sundown. Hopefully that wasn't too late. 

"I met my mom." Tobio said blankly. Koushi jolted, wings ceasing their steady beating for only a second. 

"You what?!" To his right Daichi let out a nervous laugh. A guilty laugh. "We made a detour into Kusatsu for breakfast and things might have gotten a little out of hand?" 

"Define 'a little'." 

Tobio pressed his lips together in a tight line. "I saw the sign for Tsumagoi and I made Daichi come with me. When we found the address there was this lady who looked a lot like me, but then Tetsuro and a few other Erasers showed up so we had to leave before we could even talk to her." He stated this so nonchalantly it was almost as if it wasn't him saying them at all. How could these words come from the same boy who would lie awake at night and theorize what what his mother and father were like and what he'd do if he ever got them back. He didn't show it, but he was hurting badly from not being able to even properly meet the woman he had dreamed of for years. 

"And what about you three?" He would turn his attention away from Tobio for now, give him the space he needed to cope, and finally allow the anger of being disobeyed take over. "Care to explain why you're here in the first place?" Asahi shifted, tilting his wings so he was a few feet farther from Koushi as if his wrath wouldn't reach him all the way over there. 

"Well, it was kind of hard to stay put with Erasers crawling all over the place. They were hunting us, and it was only a matter of time before they turned us into cat food! We left because we had to." 

"When did they start hunting you? Right after we left?" Daichi asked. The terrible two shared a look, the grins on their faces far too smug for the amount of trouble they were in. 

"Do you think it was the oil slick Hummer crash that started it?" 

"No no no, I think the bomb in the logging cabin is what really pissed them off." Koushi's eyes bugged out almost comically. "Asahi, you let them build a bomb? That was the exact specific reason I told you to watch them, so they wouldn't do that!" 

"To be fair, I tried my best. You know how hard it is to convince these two not to do something reckless. Plus, they did already know we were up in the mountain somewhere. They saw all of us in the strawberry field. It would be stupid if I didn't let them try and defend the house." While he was angry, he had considered the that the Erasers would be after them sooner than later.

"I'm glad you're all safe. Just promise me you'll never do anything like that again." The silence that hung between the five of them was tense and awkward, more awkward than the time they declared Yuu "it" for hide and seek. In their hearts they all knew how unreasonable that request was. "At least promise me you won't detonate them in the house, then."  

"What about you, Koushi? Where was our fearless leader hiding for the past two days?" 

Should he tell them? They deserved to know about the park and the kidnappers. The gunshot wound and Saeko. They definitely deserved to know about the X-Ray and the possible tracking chip implanted in his arm. He just knew he couldn't mention it without somehow bringing up everything else. They didn't deserve to know that while they fought Erasers for their lives and survived off of fast food dumpster scraps he was sleeping in a real bed with new pajamas and eating fresh food for every single meal. That while they worried about him and Shoyo, he was safe and dry and felt more at home than he ever had. He couldn't do that to them, he just couldn't. 

"I got sidetracked. I'll tell you later, okay?" The awkward silence settled back over them again. As they flew he suddenly noticed a few of the hawks from the crater had been tailing them. Specifically, they were tailing Daichi. Their wings moved in tandem, making the same minor shifts and taking the same length strokes. "You seem to have made some friends, Dai." 

"Oh yeah. They're pretty great, with the way they use the tips of their feathers to aim. The little things like that make such a huge difference in how you fly." 

"Mind teaching us what you've learned." Koushi asked. Daichi shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't see why not, we've got plenty of time." 

The motions were easy to imitate once you got the hang of it. While it didn't look like they flew any different, a part of him could just feel the difference. It was strange to see how well not only him, but all of them had taken to this new style of flying. Actually, how natural it all felt to fly like actual birds scared him a little. They never really considered themselves human, despite most of their DNA being composed of it. But did that mean they had to lean into their avian nature? Or would it slowly mutate and take over them in time? Would they end up eating raw rodents or worms and building nests in craters? 

Koushi was pulled from his thoughts by the dull ache in his shoulder growing along with the grumbling in his stomach. They'd have to break soon to refuel sooner than later, and if the maps were still accurate they were only a few miles away from a relatively small town near Miyagi's border. He pushed his wings down hard so he moved a bit closer to the front of the formation, tapping two fingers to his temple and then arcing it down towards the ground. Asahi gave an understanding nod and repeated the motion to Ryuu and then tapped his own pattern onto the ridge of Yuu's wing. Tobio returned a nod as well, all of them angling for Earth. 

The town itself is quiet. Most are this time of day. "So according to the map we're about 40 miles away from Marumori. We have time to grab a quick meal and could probably work out an infiltration plan. Any suggestions?" 

Tobio raised his hand slightly "I think I saw a sign for one of those fast food places about 10 miles north."  

"Sounds good to me. Maybe this time we can actually eat inside instead of out of the trash." Daichi ruffled their youngest's hair teasingly and was met by hands furiously smacking at his arm. Asahi shifted his weight uncomfortably. "I dunno if that's a good idea. Don't those places usually cost money? Last time I checked we were all flat broke." 

"Actually...." Koushi maneuvered his bag off of his back and fished around the many pockets before finding what he was looking for. He pulled out a thick wad of yen, roughly 10,000. Saeko had insisted, no matter how hard he tried to convince her he simply wouldn't need it. Even after he had left he was still learning how that woman was probably right about every single thing she ever said. 

"Where the hell did you get that?!" Ryuu said just a bit too loudly for comfort. Before he could respond Yuu's nimble little fingers had snatched the bundle from his hand and let out an equally too loud noise of shock. "All of this is yen?!"

"Would you two keep your voices down? It's bad enough we have Erasers on our tails, we can't have the whole town thinking we're loaded!" Daichi's tone, while stern and demanding, betrays his own request by once again being  _too loud._  And maybe it was just nerves, but he could swear he heart the faint  _putt putt putt_ of a chopper in the distance. It had to be nerves, they couldn't find them that fast. Although there was the chip...

"Oh my God I can't take you people anywhere. Give me that." Koushi snatched the roll back, stuffing it into his jacket and pulling the zipper shut. He couldn't let his own fears get the best of him. Not when they had only been in town for ten minutes and had already drawn the attention of an elderly shop keep and what looked to be his son. Their quizzical looks and hushed whispers were sure to lead to more attention any minute now. So that took flying out of the question, and he knew that at least the younger boys would be too worn out to make the long walk without getting something in their system. 

Traffic was not too heavy during this time of day. Not in this part of town. The buildings are close together with very little space to park on the streets. Most cars are parked in back lots, unattended and vulnerable. Koushi doesn't have time to work out the morality of his new plan, he just has to do it. He chooses a simple one, a grey van that looks big enough to hold all of them.

Stuff he had read about in books and online had made this all seem so easy. Like he could just reach under the dash, push a few things around and the car would magically start. It took far too many far too complicated procedures, most of which Koushi had no clue whatsoever how to pull off. The whole ordeal ended with him slamming his fist into the car roof out of frustration hard enough to knock the visor loose, which in turn deposited something small and useful right into his lap. Seriously, what kind of idiot just leaves their keys in the car? And what kind of idiot doesn't think to look for those first when trying to steal it? 

"Settle in kiddos! We'll have to cut down on meal time, but we're finally on our way to victory!" 

"None of us know how to drive." Asahi deadpanned. Koushi wanted to scream. Just scream and scream until all the stress that had been building inside him since the tender age of birth was gone. Scream until that stress somehow managed to power the van and carry it all the way to the Lab. Instead he took in a deep breath and exhaled it through his nose. "We've all played GTA. It can't be that different."

Driving in real life is very different than the driving mechanics for Grand Theft Auto. After five minutes of learning how to shift gears from park to drive and an additional ten figuring out the difference between the gas and break, they were well on their way. They were way over the speed limit and Koushi had a terrifying habit of taking turns much too fast, but they were driving and it was all  _fine._

"I don't think vans are supposed to go up on two wheels like that." 

"Do the windows roll down? I think I'm gonna be sick and I don't wanna puke in our new car."

"The exit is a few more miles on the left, Koushi. Don't miss it." 

He half regretted not whipping out his wings in front of the shop keep and taking off then and there. At least when they flew they were all quiet. His knuckles were white from how hard he was gripping the wheel, and the side eye he was getting from Daichi told him his expression must be just as awful. "They might have a drive thru, Kou. We can take that instead of eating inside, to save time and get to Shoyo faster." God bless Daichi. He really didn't appreciate that boy enough sometimes. 

"No no. I promised we could eat inside. It'll be fine. We'll just have to fly super fast to make up lost time." The flock let out a collective disappointed groan. "I was just starting to like the car!" Yuu cried.

"Yeah, it's much comfier in here than it is flying! Plus won't it be easier to get in if we enter like normal people?"

_Oh yeah, a totally not suspicious van full of grubby teenage boys. See at least three of those every shift. Come on in, dont' mind the mutants they don't bite._

"We can work this out while we eat, okay?" Koushi tried to keep his tone as gentle as possible. He had to keep reminding himself that no matter how annoying these kids got, they were really still just kids. Scared, dirty, hungry kids who just wanted their family to be safe again. They pulled into the fast food joint's parking lot and rolled to a stop near the back edge away from all the other cars. Just as Ryuu and Yuu sprang for the door Koushi's hand slammed down on the lock button. 

"Hold it! I know we're all tired and hungry and excited, but this isn't a family vacation, okay? Remember, anyone could be an Eraser. Be on guard." They nodded somberly. "Good." 

The intoxicating smell of french fries and fresh cooked burgers hit them before they even entered the building. "I wish our house could smell like this." Yuu whispered dreamily. He was spared the sight of the actual establishment, which was drab and a bit more dreary than any of them expected. Koushi couldn't help but wonder what kind of mental map he was building up based off of sound and scent alone. The building itself was moderately crowded, and jarringly noisy. As they settle into line Koushi does a quick sweep of the place. Marks all the potential exits, suspicious looking people. No one in here really looks like an Eraser, but it was always so hard to tell until they morphed into werecats and tried to tear your skin off. 

Daichi placed his order first. "Three double cheeseburgers, three large fries, a soda and a chocolate shake, please." 

The cashier chuckled politely. "Feeding a crowd, are we?" 

"Yes, ma'am." He chimed sweetly. Koushi never understood how he could act so nice and normal under pressure. Tobio tugged on his jacket sleeve. "I don't eat meat anymore." Koushi blinked a few times, wondering if he had heard him right. "Tobio, I've seen you demolish an entire grill's worth of barbecue, what do you mean you don't eat meat anymore?" 

"Watching the hawks shred little animals made me real queasy. I just don't think I can stomach it anymore."

"You have to eat something, Tob."

"They have salads." Koushi let out a heavy sigh through his nose. Okay, he would entertain this vegetarian phase for now, if only to make things just a bit easier. Yuu and Asahi ordered basically the same thing as Daichi but doubled and left him to collect their food while they beelined for the most private booth they could find.  Finally it was his turn to order. 

"I need three chicken sandwiches, six fries, three salads and one triple cheeseburger but hold the meat." The cashier gave him a quizzical look. "So just cheese and condiments on a bun?" Tobio nodded vigorously. The cashier looked as if the request had simultaneously aged her ten years while also being one of the more normal orders she had to punch in that day. He handed her the money they owed and made their way to the table. The other boys were already tearing into their meals, looking more like savage starving orphans than normal average teenagers. But then again, they were savage starving orphans. No matter how hardcore and tough they acted, they all melted under the flame broiled heat of fresh made burgers.

They were nearly finished with their food when the discomfort started. That feeling of being watched prickling down his spine. He glanced up from his tray and locked eyes with Daichi. Rather, his eyes fell on Daichi, who was focusing on something out of the corner of his eyes. As naturally as he could manage he glanced around the restaurant. The few groups of teens grabbing an after school snack had cleared out and been replaced by a whole new group of people. One in particular was peering at them rather intently. Wide yellow eyes would occasionally dart back down to the phone clutched in his hand, but then back up at them. Next to him are several other male model looking men. 

Koushi's eyes flicked back to Daichi. There was a fire exit behind him, easy to access. The question was whether or not they would be fast enough to make it. "Don't look up." The Flock gave no indication they had even heard him. "In five seconds jump over Asahi and Daichi and out the fire exit right behind us." Asahi reached over and tapped Yuu's wrist, the pair lacing their fingers together. Ryuu shoved a few more fries in his mouth. Tobio took a long sip of his drink. Then in an instant Tobio sprang onto the table and vaulted over Daichi, hitting the ground running and crashing through the fire exit. Ryuu was practically glued to his side. 

The sound of trays and chairs clattering to the linoleum floor filled his ears as he launched himself out of his seat and into a sprint. There are already Erasers in the parking lot, half transformed and charging. Koushi fumbled for the car keys, barely managing to hit the unlock button. "Go go go!" Half of them charged the van, tripping over themselves to get inside. Two thick bodied Erasers formed a wall of flesh around Ryuunosuke and Yuu, forcing them to separate from the group. In a moment of panic he unfurled his wings, taking to the sky despite Koushi's protests and a few screams sounding all around them. Yuu, acting only on instinct, did the same. 

"No no no come back!" No matter how loud he yelled he knew they were already rocketing into the sky. The only way to get their attention was to go up there himself.

"Koushi, there's no time! Get in or give the damn keys!" Leave it to Daichi to keep him level headed. He was right, there was no time. Hopefully the pair would be able to make it to safety on their own until they could met up again. He slammed down on the gas, letting out a cry at the sound of a body being struck by the trunk. "Hang on tight." 

The tires squealed as they peeled out of the parking lot, ignoring the horns of several other drivers as they sped through the town, narrowly avoiding several accidents and sharp turns. "Why is it so bulky?!"

"It's a  _van_!" Daichi hollered. They had to get out of this town and onto the open road. Once they were there they could ditch this stupid van and fly to safety. They'd regroup with Ryuu and Yuu and then they'd go get Shoyo and then they'd leave the damn country because apparently this stupid chip in his arm let the Erasers know his exact location before he even knew it and nothing would stop them from ruining his life or his family's lives and-

"KOUSHI!" Tobio's scream of terror snapped him out of his angered state and drew his attention back to the road just in time to see the sleek black sedan pull out in front of them. They hit it head on at sixty miles an hour.

Koushi could just  _feel_ his nose breaking under the force of the airbags. "Report!" He called through the blood pouring from his nose onto his lips. 

"Okay over here." Daichi's neck and a large raw looking scratch across his neck from the seatbelt. In the back seat Asahi was nursing his own head, bruised but not bleeding. The force of impact had reopened the gash on Tobio's cheek, staining the seat in front of him. "Koushi-"

"It's just a head wound. They bleed a lot, don't worry. It'll stop soon!" 

"No Koushi, look out!" He whipped back to the windshield, barely managing to throw his arms over his face in time to shield himself from the shower of glass. An Eraser perched on the hood aimed his gun inside, a deep snicker bubbling in his throat at the sight of them. Out of the corner of his eyes he sees him. Tetsuro sauntered up to the driver's door, opened it as casually as if he was simply getting ready to take a nice Sunday drive. "Well well, would you look at that. All this fuss over what, Koushi? It's almost like you don't want to go back to the Lab." 

Koushi threw out his arm, uselessly trying to claw at the Eraser in a last ditch effort to save himself. Tetsuro caught it and tightened his grip painfully. "Haiba, get the cars. We're all going home." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yell at me about this chapter here on on Tumblr
> 
> ask-cosplayukraine-please.tumblr.com


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Koushi learns something new  
> Shoyo shares some secrets  
> The Flock has a new mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> O O F i dont think anyone is actually reading this but this dumb bitch still writin!!!!!!!

_Gentle waves lap at left side of his body, partially submerged in the shallow tides. He let out a soft groan, forcing himself to sit up. The soft light of sunset cast an unsettling glow over his surroundings, turning the ocean a deep violet hue and the sand an orangish gold. The scene itself is serene, but the inside of his head feels like a bomb went off. Everything scattered. Everything smoking. He reached up to wipe the water from his face, eyes going wide at the sight of dark crimson smeared across his skin._

_He took another look at the beach, a really close one. Spots of the sand are dyed the same crimson color with various sized lumps writhing in pain inside of them. The closest is the most damaged of them all. It's then that he realizes that the blood covering his shirt and hands aren't his own._

_It's Daichi's._

Koushi's eyes flew open. He shot upright, only to bang his forehead against the ceiling. That's weird, he didn't remember getting a sudden growth spurt. "Koushi?" A soft voice beside him brought him back to his senses. There was no beach, no blood, no growth spurt. Him and his Flock had been captured. They were stuck in dog crates crudely stacked in a backroom like nothing more than overstock. They were back at the Lab. 

"Koushi?" The voice came again. "Are you awake?" In the crate next to his lay a frail looking boy with honey brown eyes and a mess of fiery orange curls. His light tawny wings were curled around his shoulders, one arm extended to grip the bars of Koushi's crate. Shoyo was alive. His little boy was alive. God, he looked awful. Three days had been so rough on him, burns dotting his arms and temples, eyes sunken in from the lack of sleep. This was all his fault. They could have been here for him sooner if he had just gotten his shit together. 

"Don't worry about it. It's not your fault." Shoyo croaked. He was late, he had gotten their flock captured and thrown in here, and yet Shoyo was still trying to comfort him. He felt absolutely awful.

With his nose broken, he couldn't really smell the telltale scent of metal and antiseptic, but he could just feel it radiating all around him, burrowing in his muscles and awakening memories he had worked for years to bury in his subconscious. And the headache. This god awful headache that he had thought came from banging his head on the crate but now was starting to fade into something much worse. Every time he closed his eyes it only seemed to get worse, accompanied by flashes of bright white light and strange images too blurry for him to clearly process. 

"Koushi, there's something I should tell you." Even Shoyo's raspy little voice felt like someone clanging two pans together against his skull. 

"Not now, baby. Let's try and get some rest." 

"But Kou it's really important-" His warning is cut off by the sound of the door creaking open, words turning into a frightened squeak in his throat. Anger bubbled in Koushi's stomach along with the urge to put his fist through whoever had installed such a reaction in his baby after only a few days in this hellhole. It didn't matter that he was compacted into this shitty cage, he would use every bit of his strength to tear their intestines out and strangle them with them. A pair of legs came to a stop in front of him, the figure taking its sweet time to bend down and examine him. 

Koushi felt as if his heart had stopped. Takeda Ittetsu's face split into a wide grin. "Subject Two: Sugawara Koushi. My God, it's been a long time. I've missed you, kiddo."  

* * *

  _"It's too high."_

_Takeda let out a quiet laugh, gently running his hands over the small boys tiny wings. "Nothing is too high when you have these pretty things. Come on, Koushi. Don't you trust me?" The silver haired boy looked back at him shyly. There was still a hint of fear in his eyes, still uncertain. He had never done this before. After all, he had been crammed into a dog crate up until a few months ago._

_Takeda slowly nudged them closer to the edge of the roof. "Daichi and Asahi did it, and they're just fine. See?" The two boys waved back at them enthusiastically from the front lawn. Daichi gave his broad wings a few encouraging flaps along with a blinding grin. "You can do it. You're our little miracle, remember? You can do anything you set your mind to."_

_Koushi tried not to let a shudder run through his body at the nickname. Whitecoats had called him that when he thought they were out of ear shot. The Lab's first little miracle, one of many. But coming from Takeda, it felt right. Almost endearing, not in the medical mechanical way it was intended. "What if I get hurt?"_

_"Then I'll be there to patch you up."_

_"Do you promise?"_

_"I promise, Koushi. I will always be here for you." With that, the small boy leapt from the roof, grunting from the effort of his flaps as he desperately tried to catch the wind in his wings._

_It wasn't quite flying, more like belated falling. But even as his feet collided awkwardly with the ground below and his arms pinwheeled wildly to keep himself upright, he felt his chest swelling with pride. A celebratory chirp left his throat and Takeda cheered loudly from his perch. In that moment, he truly believed the former Whitecoat._

_No matter what, he would always be there for the Flock. And as long as Takeda was there, he could accomplish anything he set his mind to._

* * *

 The two of them walked down a pristine white hallway that Koushi couldn't recall having seen before. The Whitecoats that swarmed this hall seemed much different than the ones he remembered as well. Instead of mobbing him armed with syringes and clipboards to monitor his every breath, they stood to the side as they passed, following them only with their eyes. It was unsettling, to say the least.

They end up in a large well furnished room, complete with a kitchenette nestled in the far corner and two couches arranged in an L shape around a glass coffee table. It was almost as if they had left the Lab entirely. "Take a seat, Koushi." Takeda gestured in the direction of the couches as he made his way towards the kitchenette. Koushi watched warily while he flit about, moving from cabinets to sink and then finally to the microwave, two mugs in hand. "I'm making hot chocolate. Your favorite."

The thought of the warm chocolatey beverage alone made his stomach growl. But he knew he'd have to resist it. He couldn't trust it. He couldn't trust anything here. Especially not Takeda. 

He plopped the mugs down on the coffee table, producing a can of whipped cream supposedly from thin air and spraying a certified mountain over it. Koushi studied him closely. He noted all of the fine details he still remembered from nearly four years of absence. The faint pink scar along his jaw line, the slight crook in his nose that made his glasses lopsided. There was no denying it. This was really Takeda Ittetsu. 

"I'm sure you have some questions, huh?" He plopped down on the couch opposite to Koushi. The silver haired boy didn't respond. "I wish I had more time to explain this all to you. I wish I had explained this to you four years ago. All of you. Maybe this would have been a bit easier..." He shook his head as if clearing his mind like an Etch-a-sketch. "In a little while, they're going to take you away. There's something I need to tell you before that." 

_That you're a lowlife dirty traitor? That you never cared about us, that this was all just some big elaborate joke?_

Takeda looked around, as if double checking that no one was listening in. As if this one particular room wouldn't be bugged to Hell.  As if his countless rants about hidden mics and cameras that could detect movement from nearly 20 yards away were all just for show. 

"Koushi, you are special. More special than I ever told you. You weren't just made to see how well we could splice avian DNA with human eggs. No. You were made for a reason. You and your whole Flock was kept alive up to this point for a reason, Koushi." Takeda reached across the table and took Koushi's hand in his own, vice like grip far too tight for the younger boy to yank free from. 

"One day, Sugawara Koushi, you are going to have to fulfill this purpose. You are going to have to save the world." 

In the past 72 hours Koushi had been brutally beaten by a hoard of Erasers, kicked out of a helicopter, shot, and gotten into a major car crash. He had lost his baby, another part of his flock was MIA, and the rest of it was stuck here along with him and honestly he didn't know what was worse. Every event had slowly tore piece after piece out of his soul.

Somehow this revelation made him feel worse than all of that combined. 

"I can't tell you much more than that right now. But I couldn't just let you go on without giving you some sort of clue to your destiny. You need to understand just how special you really are, Koushi. Everything that happens from now on, you need to approach it with the knowledge that your life is worth the lives of thousands." Takeda sighed heavily, removing his glasses and rubbing at the bridge of his nose before replacing them. He seemed almost disappointed at Koushi's lack of excitement at the news.

"I understand. This is a lot to process all at once. I have to take you back now, they're gonna want to run a few more tests before.... You know you haven't touched your hot chocolate?" 

"I am aware." Koushi finally hissed out. He didn't want this to drag on any longer than it had to. Even if that meant he would be shoved back into his tiny crate for Whitecoats to ogle. At this moment it felt like anything would be better than this conversation. 

"Don't tell the rest of the Flock about this. For now, your destiny has to be a secret, Koushi. _Our_ secret. Okay, my little miracle?" Koushi felt a chill run up his spine. It had been years since he had been reminded of that nickname he hated so much. The contents of his stomach churned, and suddenly the delicious chocolate smell of the drink before him was only adding to the nausea. 

Just like Takeda Ittetsu had once been his greatest ally, hot chocolate had once been his favorite drink. "Take me back to my crate. Now." 

Koushi caught Daichi's eyes as they reentered the holding area. They were clouded with so many emotions and thoughts, it was hard to tell what his partner in crime was truly thinking. The silver haired boy tried his hardest to let him know that it was okay, that he had't been in league with the Lab, he wasn't a traitor. But there's only so much one can convey with a look. 

No matter. They would al find out soon enough. 

"Where are Yuu and Ryuu?" Shoyo rasped as soon as Takeda had taken his leave. Koushi simply shrugged. Though it wasn't a total lie, he couldn't let the Lab know that he might even have some idea of where his boys were. 

 _"They took off. They're safe."_ He thought as loudly as he could in the small ginger's direction. The younger boy gave a small understanding nod. 

Hours passed before they saw another Whitecoat. After Takeda had escorted him back to the holding room, the five of them had simply sat in tense silence, only sharing worried looks that they knew the surveillance cameras couldn't pick up. The aforementioned Whitecoat did little to acknowledge them either, she simply stooped down to stare wordlessly into the cage across from Shoyo. Inside were two petite forms with small misshapen wings and various other horrendous features, writhing over each other in an attempt to get a better look at their new neighbor. The smaller of the two let out a hoarse coo. 

"He's trying to comfort you." Shoyo whispered. "He can tell you're stressed." 

The other mutant boy was right. If you looked up 'stressed' in a dictionary, there would be a picture of a teenaged mutant bird man crammed into a dog crate with a throbbing headache. Well, perhaps in a very specific dictionary. 

It was another hour or two before they heard voices. A whole hoard of people barged through the storage room doors, chattering loudly amongst themselves. Most were Whitecoats, of course, flanked by three of the Erasers from the mountains. Tetsuro, naturally, was among them. "Miss me, Suga?" He crooned, rattling the bars of his cage slightly. The other two Erasers wheeled in a large flatbed. This couldn't be good.

"Is the Directer sure about this? It seems like a waste." A particularly bookish looking Whitecoat quipped. She looked up from her clipboard and let out a displeased hum. "They really have so much potential. We can learn so much more from them!"

"This is simply another test." Another Whitecoat said dismissively. "Judging by how Subject 10 managed to completely avoid the Eraser while in a labyrinth, the others should have no trouble outsmarting them in a wide open yard." With that he snapped his fingers and the Erasers descended. The smallest of the three, with bleached blond hair that reminded Koushi of pudding, hefted Shoyo's cage up as if it were made of paper. The younger gasped, wincing slightly as his bruised arm slammed the side. There was a small flash of sympathy on the Eraser's face, so momentary that Koushi wasn't even sure he had really seen it. 

Tetsuro hefted up Koushi's cage next. He threw it down on top of the flat bed, a toothy grin gracing his features. "Strong. Like a bull." He growled. 

"I bet your father is _so proud_." Daichi crowed. Tetsuro punched the other boy's cage hard enough that it nearly fell from the flatbed. One of the Whitecoats scolded him but it didn't seem he was listening. Out of the corner of his eyes Koushi could see the other two experiments peering at them sadly as they were wheeled out of the storage room and into the brightly lit hallway. But despite that sadness, there was still a hint of pure unadulterated relief that it wasn't their cage on that flatbed.

The funny thing about facing imminent death is that it really snaps everything else into perspective. 

The yard behind the Lab was eerily quiet. Koushi remembered the days when his cage was angled just so he could stare out the window at the Erasers training, tearing their prey limb from limb with zero remorse. His heart was hammering in his chest at the thought of it. "Got your running shoes on, Tweedy? Wanna have a little race?" Tetsuro's fangs were lengthening in his mouth, eyes beginning to glow a harsh yellow as he transformed. 

There was no point in weighing his options. There were only two, and they were fight back or die. As he wondered how he would initiate his fight to the death, Tetsuro made a major mistake. He pushed his fingers through the bars of his cage and wiggled them in a taunting motion. Without really even thinking Koushi lunged forward and sunk his teeth into the flesh. The other man let out a horrid shriek of pain. He tried to yank the digits free, only for the silver haired boy to clamp down even harder, hard enough that he could taste the foul metallic tang of blood. Tetsuro began shaking the cage with his free hand, trying to shake him off. Little did he know Koushi had the determination of a rabid raccoon. There was no way in hell he was letting go. 

Whitecoats were yelling now, both at Koushi and Tetsuro. The Eraser had resorted to kicking now, finally knocking hard enough to loosen his grip. One final kick drove the older boy's crate flying backwards, tumbling end over end until he was upside down right in front of Shoyo's crate. Okay. This wasn't exactly part of the plan, but who was he to kick a gift horse in the mouth. He managed to snap the lock off of Shoyo's crate in a matter of seconds. "Run! Run as fast as you can!" 

The younger boy pulled himself to his feet, shaking like a leaf the whole while. He moved to unlatch Koushi's cage but the older simply yelled " _GO!_ " and he took off like a shot. He ran, weaving between werecats and Whitecoats alike. Before Koushi could even attempt to snap open any of the other cages he was being kicked around again by a fuming Tetsuro, who by now was stuck half way between human and full werecat form, spewing expletives and shaking his bloody fist furiously. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of the pudding haired Eraser charging a frail female Whitecoat, ignoring her frightened yelp and ripping the key ring from her waist. They flew through the air, arching over several confused heads and landing almost impossibly in Shoyo's waiting hands. 

The scene before Koushi was sheer chaos. In a matter of minutes Asahi and Tobio were free and taking to the sky. Just before Shoyo could reach Daichi's cage a lanky Eraser with silver hair descended upon him, a wide grin stretching literally from ear to ear. "Ah ah ah, little pigeon." He crooned. Claws extended, he reached for Shoyo as two more Erasers closed in from behind. All hope seemed lost, even the sky seemed to darken in response to the sudden drop in Koushi's heart.

It took a few moments before he realized that the sky was darkening for an entirely different reason. 

Sharp talons slashed across the forearms of the tallest Eraser, large wings beating his face relentlessly. The Eraser let out a terrified cry, batting uselessly at the attacker. Soon several other large blurs of feathers and fury swooped into the yard, talons slashing and tearing at whatever they could get. "Hey! Sorry we're late!" Ryuu hollered over the commotion. Beside him stood Yuu, a large hawk perched on his shoulder that cawed menacingly at the shocked Whitecoats that tried to approach the pair. Behind them even more, perhaps they entire hawk population of Mount Shirane, swooped into action. 

Taking the distraction as an opportunity to act Shoyo rushed past the screaming Eraser and opened Daichi's cage. The older man shot out, swiftly scooping up the younger boy and all but throwing him into the air as a last ditch effort to get him airborne. When he struggled to achieve a steady flight Asahi swooped down and swept him into his arms, sparing a few small kisses to his grimy forehead as they ascended to safety. 

The oldest member of the flock wasted no time. He charged Tetsuro, growling something about a "Round two" as he barreled into him. The two squabbled uselessly for a moment before Tetsuro finally managed to shove the older boy off of him and sent him tumbling to the ground. The Eraser whipped out a gun and leveled it, a cruel smile gracing his features. Just as he moved to squeeze the trigger the largest of the hawks swooped down, carving thick cuts into Tetsuro's wrist. In all honesty, there was a sick sense of satisfaction in watching him drop his weapon and immediately catch a harsh punch to the jaw from Daichi. Swiftly the older mutant used his sheer strength against the weakened state of the cage to simply rip it open. 

"You're so slow." He said extending his hand to the silver haired leader. 

"No. Just at ease." He took his hand, unfurling his wings and taking to the sky almost instantly. "Go go go!" He called to the Flock. As if they to had understood the command the hawks retreated as well, weaving between the Flock gracefully. Ryuunosuke delivered one final blow to a shrimpy looking Whitecoat before tapping Yuu's wing and joining them. Koushi couldn't shake the surge of sheer joy that overtook him at the sight before him. 

Asahi was still carrying Shoyo, his gigantic primary feathers brushing over Tobio's smaller set as the younger tried to keep up so he could excitedly babble with his best friend. Yuu and Ryuu have mastered the art of talking animatedly while maintaining a steady rate of ascension, even while several hawks flew through them as if they weren't even there. Daichi looked over his shoulder and threw him a small smile as he zipped past him. Finally things were okay. Finally they were all together again. Koushi felt at peace.

It did't last long. 

"Koushi!"

Takeda looked as if he had been run over with a weed whacker. His white coat was torn at the sleeves and the hem, splatters of fresh blood decorating it morbidly. His expression was hard to read. Not angry, but something near it?  "Koushi, come back! It was a test! All of this, just a test! You were never in real danger, don't you understand?! Come back, I can explain everything!"

Koushi looked down at the man who raised him. The man who had saved his life, who had taught him to read and write, who cheered him on when he fought, who had dressed his wounds when he had lost. 

"I don't think so." He muttered tiredly. He pushed down hard and let his wings carry him high into the sky where his family was waiting.

* * *

 The basin at the top of Mount Shirane never seemed more comfortable. The seven of them all but collapsed onto the dusty cave floor, exhausted from both the flight there and the long stressful day. 

"I thought I'd never see you guys again. I was so scared, and they did so many terrible things-" Fat tears rolled down Shoyo's cheeks. He half heartedly threw his arm over his face in an attempt to hide the tears, but the sobs were so powerful they shook his tiny body.

"I would have never quit trying to get you back. There's no way I would have let them keep you. They'd have to kill me first." Koushi muttered, settling in next to the younger. His wings slowly unfurled, blanketing over the two of them protectively. 

"They almost did" Ryuu said with a dry laugh. Yuu however ignored his best friend's bitter tone and simply threw his arms around Koushi's neck. "This is how it should be forever. Just us. Together forever." He nuzzled his face into the conjunction of the older boy's wings. The tickling sensation partnered with the light pattering of rain just outside the cave lulled him into a sense of peace.

"I really thankful, you know. For....for all of you." The Flock slowly began to inch closer. Koushi could feel the soft feathers of their wings brushing his own as they mimicked him and folded their wings over each other, caging themselves in protectively. "I mean... I know I don't really say this enough, but I love you guys. I need all of you, or this-" he gestured to their tight huddle- "-this wouldn't be the same. Just four, or three, or even six of us isn't  _us._ It has to be all seven."

Tobio took Koushi's free hand and squeezed it. Asahi brushed his bangs from his face with a soft smile. No one said a word, but they all understood. They all got the message.

"Takeda knows where the house is." Daichi cut in. The mood threatened to drop, all eyes turning towards their fearless leader for an answer. He inhaled sharply. He always hated being put on the spot like this. It was true, they couldn't go back to Mount Azumaya. Ever. And though he had really loved the life he had lived with Saeko, he knew that they wouldn't be able to settle down like that. Especially not with that tracker in his arm...

"Well. Let's...let's head south. The farther away we can get from the Lab the better." 

* * *

 

The morning came with clear blue skies. The higher up they flew, the warmer the sun seemed on their backs. The air was light and thin but freeing all at the same time. Ryuunosuke dipped slightly into the thin layer of clouds, vapor streaming around him as he pulled back up. "God this is just so amazing, y'know! We're all just so free up here! No rules, no parents! God, I bet those dumb kids down there are in school, or cleaning their rooms. I always hated cleaning my room and-"

Sometimes Koushi wasn't sure how Yuu tolerated Ryuunosuke. The kid was literally all ears, and Ryuu was nothing but constant chatter. "Ryuu..." Koushi muttered. The constant talking was starting to create a slowly growing headache. Scratch that. Swiftly. Swiftly growing headache. "Koushi?" The younger boy asked. He rubbed his temples, sparing a few blinks to try and clear the spottiness from his vision. "Could you-" 

"Koushi?!" 

Before he could truly process it all he was falling. His wings crumpled like paper and air rushed in his ears as he came closer and closer to the ground. He felt like his skull was going to split open if he didn't physically hold it together. He knew that he was dropping like a hailstone, but no matter how hard he tried to straighten his wings and regain the lost air, he just couldn't. All he could do is hope that he'd hit the ground soon so maybe the pain would finally just stop.

He hits something solid. Soft, not harsh and fatal like the Earth. "Koushi, what happened?" Daichi's voice. Daichi had caught him. The larger man held him flush to his chest, breathing deeply and slowly in an attempt to soothe his fallen flockmate. They were still losing altitude, their combined weight almost too much, even for Daichi. Koushi opened his mouth to thank him, but a new wave of raw pain swept over him before he could. "Hang tight, okay? We're gonna find a place to land." He let his eyes slip shut and slipped into a pained sleep. 

When he came too again, the pain was gone. They had touched down, long enough that the sun was beginning to sink beneath the tree line. "Where...." he groaned softly. A gentle hand brushed over his forehead. He'd know those callouses anywhere. "Asahi..."

"Don't strain yourself. We set up camp about 10 miles south of where you had your...incident. We tried to go farther, but you didn't wake up and Daichi couldn't hold you anymore." 

"Yeah, what the hell have you been eating? Rocks?" The aforementioned boy chimed in. 

"Why, are you missing some from your head?"

Daichi snorted. "Glad to see you're feeling better. We're cooking dinner." 

Dinner happened to be whatever the younger kids had convinced Daichi to buy from a nearby convenience store stuck to sticks and roasted experimentally over a small fire. Tobio gave him a small wave, sadly shaking the remains of half of a banana from his stick. "Make sure they clear away some more brush before you burn down the whole forest." He said softly. Daichi snorted.

"Glad to see you're feeling like your old self, Kou." Koushi pulled a soft smile. In all honesty, he didn't feel like himself. The normal Sugawara Koushi was confident, a firm leader who carried out his plans with an iron fist. His headache or mini stroke that he had earlier had brought forth a new idea. 

There were plenty of drawbacks when you spliced DNA together willy nilly. One he distinctively remembered was the mouse and cat recombinant, a huge hostile mouse with incredible balance and agility but the inability to digest neither grains or meat. It had starved to death in its cage. The other was the Erasers themselves. Their life cycles were short- shorter than any other creation in the lab. They developed fully from embryos in a matter of days, and often grew to their full size in less than two weeks. They would also overwork themselves to track down their prey, be it the Flock or whatever else the Lab sent them after. This tended to cause them to unravel completely by the time they were nine years old. 

The Flock didn't know if they were in the same boat. Takeda had taken them away from the Lab before they were able to put anything like that to the test. Sure they had all made it past the usual age of death, but that could just mean that their DNA was only the slightest bit more stable, so their expiration date could be pushed off. 

Maybe that's what was happening to him today. 

"Koushi?" Shoyo's little voice cut off his train of thought. The eleven year old climbed onto his lap against Asahi's protests to let him rest. "There's something I need to tell you. Something I heard in the Lab? About us?"

_Oh shit._

"What is it, sweetie?" 

Shoyo could read minds, there was no way that this was a coincidence. He nibbled his lower lip, wringing his hands together while he figured out the best way to say this. Koushi sighed softly through his nose. Maybe this would have to wait until later-

"No, I wanna tell you now." Shoyo said, using his powers instinctively. He wondered if....there was only one way to know....

"Was it something you heard from Takeda?" Shoyo shook his head.

"No. I didn't pick up anything from him, actually. Not one thought the whole time I was there." He shuddered at the memory. "But the others were thinking about us- all of us and where we came from." 

He had the whole Flock's attention now. "What do you mean? Like our lifespans?" This was not a coincidence. It couldn't be. Shoyo seriously had to stop casually reading peoples thoughts....

"Yeah kind of. While they were doing tests, they would think about the Flock and wonder if you were coming for me, or if the Erasers would kill you soon-" he sniffled, clearly trying not to cry- "-and they all kept thinking about this place called the Institute of....the Living Institute or something like that. Apparently they have files on us, about everything from how we were made."

"You mean like the growing us in the test tubes?" Ryuunosuke asked. Shoyo shook his head. He swiped at his eyes, trying so so hard not to cry. This had to be so stressful to him. 

"No. Like....you know how we always talked about having real parents instead of just scientists?"

"I saw my mom in Tsumagoi! I really did!" Tobio cried. Daichi gently shushed him, stroking his hair soothingly. 

Koushi sighed sadly. He had wanted to say this when he had first brought it up, but he had seemed so crushed by the interaction that he knew it would only hurt him more.  "Tobio, that's not possible. We're test tube babies, that's all."

"No, you're wrong. We  _do_ have parents. We were all born, just like real human babies." 

The silence that fell over them was so thick and tense that if a twig had snapped then they all would have taken flight right then and there. "But that doesn't make any sense!" Yuu cried. "They wouldn't have been able to get the bird DNA in us that way! They would- I don't even know how they'd do that! That's just bullshit!"

"It is not!" Shoyo snapped back. "It's called amniocentesis! There's a book about it in Takeda's office!" He stuck his tongue out in a very childish _so-ha-take-that_ fashion, even though Yuu couldn't see it. How Shoyo knew and remembered the exact book about this specific science in Takeda's office was also a bit unsettling. "They got us a bunch of different places, but a lot of us came from the Miyagi prefecture so they wouldn't have to go too far to get us."

"But how did they even get us? They can't just take babies from hospitals." 

"I don't know. There were only bits and pieces, nothing specific. The only thing for sure was the Institute in Kyoto, and they have more information on us there." 

The oldest three shared a look. There was no certainty in what Shoyo was saying, but they also had to take into consideration that he had no reason to lie. He wouldn't make something like this up, not when things were this tense. Over the years they had mastered the art of having a fully fledged conversation without ever uttering a word. Subtle head nods and the twitch of an eyebrow could speak more than any words ever could.

The way Asahi hummed, eyes flicking to Koushi and then back to Daichi, and then to the younger kids who were still grilling Shoyo for answers.

Koushi gently waved his hand dismissively.

Daichi nodded.

"Then it's settled, huh? Next stop: Kyoto?" The other two nodded as well. 

"Next stop: Kyoto." Asahi yawned loudly. "After we rest."  

 

**Author's Note:**

> this will be a series probably or something lol 
> 
> also thank you so much to SatyrSyd37 for encouraging me to work on this and also yelling with me on tumblr about this shit lmao


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